


Viktuuri AU Ficlet Collection

by Reiya



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medical, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Alternate Universe - Regency, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst, Drama, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Immortality, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-02-03 22:20:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 38,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12757296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reiya/pseuds/Reiya
Summary: A collection of various Viktuuri AU ficlets cross-posted from tumblr





	1. Espionage/Assassin AU Parts 1, 2 & 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For people who follow me on [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/), I've been posting various Viktuuri AU ficlets based on askbox prompts and now, on request, have decided to put my favourites here on AO3 for easier reading. To anyone following FFYC or the Rivals series, don't worry, I haven't abandoned either of them and there will hopefully be new chapters of both up soon too! This is just a fun side project where I can stick all of my Viktuuri ficlets to make it easier for people to find them.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

**Espionage/Assassin AU Part 1**

_Prompt No.12 -  things you said when you thought I was asleep_

 

It was the buzzing of Viktor’s phone that woke Yuuri up, faint but still very present in the otherwise silence of the room. The noise tugged at the edges of his consciousness, dragging him out of his dreaming and into semi-wakefulness. Distantly, he felt Viktor’s arm untangle itself from around his waist and the warmth pressed against his back move away as Viktor reached over and plucked the phone off the nightstand, sliding out of their bed as he did so.

Yuuri was tempted to open his eyes and reach out, to pull Viktor back into bed and insist he leave whatever it was until the morning. But the drowsiness was still hanging heavily all around him and instead he allowed his breathing to remain deep and even and his eyes shut, lazily drifting in the place between consciousness and sleep as he heard Viktor step lightly across the room to the open window.

“I thought we agreed that I would contact you when it was done,” Viktor hissed into the phone and the harshness of his voice sent a jolt of surprise running through Yuuri and his eyes snapped open. He had never heard Viktor sound like that before, voice filled with anger and containing none of his usual cheerfulness. When he opened his eyes he could see Viktor standing framed in the window, body bare and illuminated by the pale light of the moon. He looked beautiful, otherworldly, but there was a tension in his frame that made Yuuri’s heart beat just a little bit faster.

“Yes, I’m still with him,” Viktor said into the phone, voice still hushed, almost inaudible to Yuuri’s ears from the other side of the room. Yuuri was usually a deep sleeper and in any other circumstances he would have simply allowed himself to drift back off but there was something in Viktor’s voice and the strange contents of the conversation that put him on edge. So instead he closed his eyes again, making sure his breathing remained deep and even as he strain his ears to listen as Viktor spoke again.

“I don’t care if it’s past the deadline, I told you I’d get the job done and I will.” Viktor continued, voice low and dangerous. “I just need more time.”

 _‘Job?’_  Yuuri had never been more confused in his life. He knew that Viktor did freelance work with an international company but he was supposed to be on a break. Yuuri had no idea he had any jobs he was currently working on, especially not ones that would require phone calls in the middle of the night. Something wasn’t right and it made unease coil sickeningly in his gut.

“Within the month then,” Viktor replied, answering the question from the other end of the line that Yuuri couldn’t hear, no matter how hard he strained his ears. “I’ll have the information you need by then and then I’ll deal with him. You know I’ve never failed a job before.”

The words sent a cold chill running through Yuuri, the unnamed ‘him’ hanging ominously in the air all around him. Surely not? It couldn’t be.

“Don’t lecture me about emotional compromise,” Viktor snapped, much louder than before and there was something else in his voice aside from anger. Something deeper, more vulnerable. Something that sounded almost like fear. Fear for what, Yuuri didn’t know.

Viktor must have been aware at how loudly he had spoken because Yuuri heard the faint shift in the air as he turned around, staring at the bed where Yuuri still lay, feigning sleep. Whatever he saw must have satisfied Viktor enough because he turned back around again, clearly fooled by the façade.

“He’s just a target,” Viktor murmured, although there was something in his voice that sounded wrong, off somehow in a way that Yuuri couldn’t quite put his finger on. “I’ll deal with him just like I dealt with all the others. You have my word.”

With that Viktor ended the call, a sigh leaving his lips in a rush as soon as it was done. Yuuri cracked an eye open again, watching the way Viktor’s shoulders slumped as he stared at the phone, face unreadable and hidden in shadow.

It took everything in Yuuri to keep his breathing even, to hide the shock running through his body or the racing of his heart. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes but he fought them back, knowing if Viktor caught even a glimpse then he would be discovered. And he didn’t even want to consider what the consequences of that discovery might be.

He still couldn’t believe it, couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that the man he was in love with, the man who smile and laughed and lit up Yuuri’s whole world, was the same man who Yuuri’s had just heard talking on the phone. He had always known his position in life put him in danger but he had never once considered it might come from so close to his heart, the betrayal cutting through him sharply like a knife.

The sound of soft footsteps reappeared as Viktor made his way back over to the bed, sliding under the covers and next to Yuuri again. Yuuri forced himself to stay relaxed as Viktor wrapped his arm back around Yuuri’s waist, wondering why the other man even bothered. He thought Yuuri was asleep, what was the point of keeping up the pretence of affection when there was no-one there to appreciate it?

Viktor let out a small huff of contentment as he settled down next to Yuuri, sliding him closer so that their bodies were pressed together again. Yuuri could feel the warmth radiating from him and he instinctively shifted towards it, cursing himself as he did so.

His back was pressed close to Viktor’s chest and he felt as Viktor leant over, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck. There was a smile on his lips as he did so and Yuuri wondered how he could be so cruel, to still act like the Viktor he loved when Yuuri knew now that that Viktor had likely never existed at all.

The warmth shifted as Viktor settled down behind him, still holding Yuuri close, and soon the room was filled with the sounds of his deep breathing as Viktor drifted off into sleep. Yuuri stayed awake, held in the bracket of Viktor’s arms where for once, he no longer felt safe

 

 

* * *

 

 

** Espionage/Assassin AU Part 2 **

_Prompt No.58 - things you were afraid to say_

 

The minute the noise of his phone vibrating sounded in the room, Viktor’s eyes snapped open. It was the familiar hum of his work phone that had dragged him so sharply into wakefulness and there were very few people with access to that number. It was almost instinct by now to respond to the sound and, no matter the late hour, whatever it was that had prompted the person on the other end of the line to call was not something that he would be able to ignore.

Not that he hadn’t been doing a very good job at ignoring his professional responsibilities over the last few months however.

Grimacing in annoyance at having his sleep disturbed he sat up, reluctantly unwrapping his arm from around his sleeping lover as he did so, allowing his fingers to linger across the warm skin for a moment longer. Yuuri sighed a little in his sleep, a short puff of air leaving his lips as his nose wrinkled in displeasure at the loss of warmth. It was unbearably cute and Viktor couldn’t help himself from smiling at the sight as he plucked the phone off the bedside table and slid out of the bed.

Normally, he wouldn’t allow anything to do with ‘official business’ around Yuuri but the fancy hotel they were stay at had cameras and recording equipment covering every corridor and every exit  and it was far safer to stay where he was for now. Yuuri was a deep sleeper and Viktor had seen him sleep through the loudest of alarms many times before. It was unlikely that anything Viktor did was going to wake him up. Which was for the best. Nothing to do with Viktor’s work life was ever something that Yuuri should hear.

Padding over to the open window to put some distance between himself and the bed, Viktor glanced down at the screen and felt a curl of displeasure at the number displayed there. His current employer wasn’t someone Viktor found pleasant in the slightest but he had been by far the highest bidder for Viktor’s particular skillset and there had been no reason not to take the job. Back then at least.

Hitting the answer button with a feeling of deep irritation laced with a sharp undercurrent of worry, Viktor held the phone up to his ear, wishing for nothing more than to be back in bed with Yuuri by his side.

“I thought we agreed that I would contact you when it was done,” he hissed into the phone, trying to make his displeasure clear while keeping his voice quiet enough not to disturb the sleeping man on the other side of the room.

“You can hardly blame me for calling when I’ve heard nothing from you for weeks,” the voice on the other end of the line answered back, low and controlled but with an undercurrent of warning laced throughout. “No reports, no information, no kill confirmation. Can you at least assure me you’re still with your target rather than taking my money and running?”

“Yes, I’m still with him,” Viktor confirmed through gritted teeth, wishing the call had never come in the first place. Being with Yuuri had encased the two of them in a happy bubble, protected from the rest of the world and now reality was crashing back in. He had known it would come eventually, had known at some point he would have to act but he hadn’t believed it would be so  _soon._

“You do realise that our agreed deadline is long past,” the voice added, icy cold and sending shivers of worry running up Viktor’s spine. It was something that he knew far too well.

“I don’t care if it’s past the deadline, I told you I’d get the job done and I will.” he replied, keeping his voice strong and allowing none of the fear he was feeling to seep into it. He was notorious in the underworld and no matter his employer’s thinly veiled threats, he was unlikely to cross Viktor in a hurry. “I just need more time.”

“I hired you because you were the best,” the voice spoke again, sounding unfazed at Viktor’s words. “I hired you to worm your way into Katsuki’s life and his trust and find out everything he knows. Then get rid of him as soon as the job is done. From the reports I’ve been hearing you’ve certainly found your way into his life, or into his bed at least. And yet you’ve given me nothing. I’m not a patient person Mr Nikiforov and I don’t like waiting. If I don’t have my information and Katsuki dealt with by the month’s end then I might consider having you replaced.”

“Within the month then,” Viktor replied, feeling his heart lurch in his chest as he did so and his mind begin to race. There was no way he could ask to extend the dealine any longer without sounding suspicious but it didn’t give him much time. There was so much still left for him to do. “I’ll have the information you need by then and then I’ll deal with him. You know I’ve never failed a job before.”

They didn’t call him the living legend for nothing and he was counting on that reputation to pull him through now, to give him the extra time he needed to put the rest of his plan into action.

“I expect nothing less,” the voice said, distain clear. “I hope you know what you’re doing Mr Nikiforov. No matter how good he is in bed, I hope you haven’t forgotten what you’re really there for. You know what happens to people in your profession when you become…emotionally compromised.”

“Don’t lecture me about emotional compromise,” Viktor snapped, feeling the spike of chilling fear rush through him as he did so. He couldn’t have been discovered, he knew he couldn’t. As far as his employers were aware it was all an elaborate ruse, the game he played and always won. They couldn’t know the truth.

It was only once the words were out of his mouth that he realised how loudly he had spoken and he whipped around, glancing worriedly at the bed behind him and letting out a sigh of relief at the sight of Yuuri still sleeping peacefully there. Chest rising and falling in a slow, easy motion, eye closed and fingers curled lightly into the sheets beneath him. The picture of perfection.

Shifting back to face the window again Viktor took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing of his heart before he spoke, keeping the words cold and emotionless.

“He’s just a target,” he assured, tasting the lie on his tongue. “I’ll deal with him just like I dealt with all the others. You have my word.”

He ended the call abruptly, not willing to talk anymore. The unexpected contact had brought the reality of the situation and everything that came with it crashing back in, tearing apart the beautiful fantasy he had somehow found himself living.

It wasn’t like he had ever been able to forget just what had brought him into Yuuri’s life. But the more the months had gone by, the more he had been able to lose himself into the fantasy. To pretend that he really was just Viktor Sokolov, an international businessman taking a year long break to find new meaning in his life. Running into the beautiful Yuuri Katsuki in a bar, a wonderful coincidence that lead to a wonderful romance and finally to the ring hidden in Yuuri’s suitcase that he still thought Viktor didn't know about.

A perfectly ordinary life and one that had never been real. Every step had been planned, mapped, targeted. Find his way into Yuuri’s life. Gain his trust. Strip him of every secret that he knew and kept so tightly guarded and then dispose of him and leave without a trace. The only part that hadn’t been planned had been falling in love.

But fall Viktor had, hard and irreversibly. Yuuri had brought new light and meaning to his life, had shown him possibilities he had never even realised he wanted and left Viktor stunned in his wake. Emotionally compromised he might be but there was nothing in the world that could make him regret it.

He had sworn to himself protect Yuuri and now the clock was ticking. The fantasy was over and the wolves were creeping in. Soon enough, his change of loyalties would be discovered. He needed a plan, needed to get Yuuri far away where no-one could ever hurt him again.

But first, he would need to tell Yuuri the truth. And nothing made the fear rise in Viktor more than that thought, the idea of looking Yuuri in the eye and confessing. How his love was real but everything else, his story, his intentions, even his name, was a lie. How he had been sent there to do Yuuri harm and how even after all of that, Yuuri still needed to trust him because he was Yuuri’s last hope of staying alive.

The thought of the horror and heartbreak in Yuuri’s eyes scared him far more than fear for his own life ever could. He wanted to protect Yuuri from that, to keep living the fantasy where nothing could hurt them.

Stepping lightly back across the room, Viktor set the phone down on the nightstand and climbed back into bed, sliding beneath the covers and over to where Yuuri still lay. The truth that he was so afraid to say would have to come out eventually, that he knew. But not just yet. There were preparations he could make on his own, plans that could be formulated with Yuuri none the wiser. Let Yuuri be happy and content for a few more days at least, before Viktor would be forced to shatter his entire world with the truth.

Sliding his arm back around Yuuri’s waist, Viktor shifted them closer together, smiling as Yuuri instinctively rolled back into the warmth. It made Viktor’s heart ache to look at him, joy and sadness warring within in as he gazed down at Yuuri’s face. There was nothing he had ever done in his life to deserve someone like Yuuri. But maybe, just maybe, protecting Yuuri now could begin to make up for the sins of his past. Maybe one day, he could be the good man Yuuri believed that he was.  

Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss against the back of Yuuri’s neck, feeling the contentment flood through him as he did so. There would be so much turmoil in the days to come and he could hardly bring himself to think about it. But for tonight at least, they could be happy.

Tucking himself in closer to Yuuri’s body, Viktor savored the feeling of his lover held in his arms and allowed himself to drift off into sleep.

* * *

 

When he woke up the next morning, Yuuri was gone.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Espionage/Assassin AU Part 3**

_Prompt No.28 - things you said but not out loud_

 

A call from Chris interrupted Viktor’s desperate searching.

When he first heard the buzzing of the call from his pocket, he almost ignored it. Yuuri was missing, fled in the night to god knows where and all Viktor cared about was finding him. Protecting him. Making sure that he was safe again. There was nothing that had ever terrified him more than waking up that morning to see Yuuri’s side of the bed cold and completely empty. Finding the quickly scribbled note in Yuuri’s handwriting resting on the pillow where his head should have been, the  _‘I know what you are’_  written in the familiar scrawl making Viktor’s heart drop in his chest.

Yuuri must have discovered his secret somehow but he couldn’t think about that now. His first priority was to find Yuuri and it was the only thing that he could think about, even as his phone continued to vibrate in an unending rhythm, demanding his attention. Eventually however, he answered, hoping beyond hope once he saw the number displayed on the screen that whatever was causing his old friend to call him so urgently had something to do with Yuuri.

“What is it Chris?” he asked not bothering with any niceties or small talk. Despite their years of knowing each other, Chris never called him unless it was an emergency.

“I heard you lost your newest pet,” Chris replied, a question in his voice, and Viktor hisses at the words, fingers twitching instinctively for his gun despite the continents between them.

“He’s not a  _pet_ ,” he snapped and heard Chris’ sharp intake of breath over the phone in response.

“So the rumours are true then,” Chris breathed, the surprise in his tone tinged with worry. “The great Viktor Nikiforov, emotionally compromised by a target. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Do you have any information for me or are you just wasting my time?” Viktor snapped instead of answering, anger still coursing through him at Chris’ remark and not wanting to delay any further. Yuuri was out there somewhere, alone and exposed and every second that Viktor wasted put him further in danger.

“Have I ever disappointed you before?” Chris asked, tone suggestive, but the light-heartedness dropped from his voice when he was met with only stoic silence in response. “And yes, I do. It seems that someone is trying to beat you to your prize and I thought you should know about it before they succeed.”

“ _What?_ ” Viktor breathed, feeling his heart lurch in his chest and praying that Chris wasn’t implying what he thought he was. “What do you mean Chris?”

“I mean that your employers clearly think that you’ve been taking too long and have decided to do their dirty dealings with someone else.” Chris replied. “It’s been almost a year Viktor, you can’t have expected them to wait forever. You might be the best in the game but this past assignment has made it look like you’re losing your edge. I just got news this morning that they’ve brought in someone else to finish the job you started.”

Viktor froze, feeling all the blood drain out of his face in an instant and leaving him swaying on his feet, the situation suddenly so much worse than he had previously imagined. He had thought his employers had bought his excuse the night before but he had clearly been mistaken. If they had gone behind his back to hire someone else to finish the job, any fear his name and reputation held over them had clearly vanished, and any leverage he had with it.

“I called you as soon as I heard,” Chris added. His contacts in the underworld ran deep and nothing happened without him knowing about it. “Someone else is after Yuuri now, and I don’t think they’re intending to be as delicate with him as you were to get the information that they need. If you actually care about this target, I’d advise that you find him fast.”

Viktor ended the phone call and ran.

 _‘I’ll find you Yuuri,’_  was the only thought in his mind, repeating itself over and over again as the terror pounded in his veins. _‘I’ll protect you.’_

It was something he should have said out loud, something he should have promised Yuuri to his face and yet never did. He had never regretted that more than now.

_“I promise.”_

 

_TBC..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more of my writing and prompts <3


	2. Percy Jackson AU Parts 1&2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy Jackson AU Parts 1&2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys, the assassin AU from the previous chapter will get finished! But since this is an AU collection, this chapter will be some of a completely different AU I've also done a few prompts on tumblr for. The rest of the assassin AU will come later ;)
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> (The initial basis for this AU came from these tumblr posts [here](https://kazliin.tumblr.com/post/164727866617/fic-idea-catch-lightning) and [here](https://kazliin.tumblr.com/post/166335883927/for-the-au-thing-percy-jacksonheroes-of-olympus)

**Percy Jackson AU Part 1**

_Prompt No.17 - things you said that I wish you hadn’t_

 

He was, Yuuri had to conclude, quite possibly the worst son of Aphrodite in history.

Ever since he had arrive at Camp Half-Blood four years ago, fourteen years old and terrified of the monsters that he hadn’t even believed in before they had begun hunting him down, he had never quite felt like the demigod he was supposed to be. In camp activities he was perfectly average, he could fight and shoot and Celestino had even asked him to give demonstrations to the younger campers on occasion. But when it came to godly powers, there was nothing.

Some people were late bloomers, he had been assured many times. And Aphrodite’s powers didn’t always manifest in the most obvious of ways. But ever since his claiming a few weeks after he had arrived at the camp, there had been no other indication that he even belonged in the Aphrodite cabin that he now called home. No powers marking him out as one of his mother’s children, not even the marked beauty the rest of his brothers and sisters seemed to possess, although Phichit had insisted many times that that was a lie. His half-brother Chris still took every opportunity to try and help him discover his ‘true powers of Eros’ but after four years, Yuuri had come to accept that he was about as ordinary and powerless as any demi-god could be. 

It was something he couldn’t help thinking about while waiting outside the Big House with the rest of the campers, all eager to hear the newest quest handed down to one of their number by the oracle. Viktor Nikiforov had been chosen, to absolutely no-one’s surprise, and there was already crowd gathered outside the house, waiting to hear what daring adventure he was set to embark on next. Yuuri most of all.

Ever since he had arrived at the camp, he had followed Viktor’s career religiously. The other boy might only be a year older than him but he had been living at the camp since he was barely a child and was already a master at nearly every activity they had to offer by the time that Yuuri had arrived. Viktor’s mother Nike might only be a minor goddess but Viktor certainly was no minor demigod, easily outstripping his peers and completing quest after quest over the years to the awe of all the campers, Yuuri included.

A hush fell over the crowd and Yuuri was jolted out of his musings, glancing up to see Viktor emerging from the doorway, a grin on his face as he looked at the assembled crowd.

“Well Viktor, what instructions has the oracle given you?” Yakov asked, arms crossed and hooves shifting impatiently as he stared at his student, waiting for an answer.

“She assigned me a quest,” Viktor confirmed, still grinning as his eyes scanned the crowd, as if he was looking for something. “But she told me if I wanted to succeed, I needed to choose a partner to come with me. And choose wisely.”

Whispers broke out among the crowd almost immediately, the feeling of anticipation in the air only heightening at the words. It was hardly unusual for demigods to go on quests in pairs but being given free choice wasn’t as common and everyone was alert, waiting with baited breath to see who Viktor would choose. Being chosen for a quest with Viktor Nikiforov was something many campers dreamed of.

Yuuri included, although he would never admit it out loud. But in his imagination, everything was different. He was confident and powerful, throwing around his godly powers with ease the way Viktor did his and winning all of Viktor’s admiration and attention in the process. That dream would become a nightmare if it ever became a reality. Yuuri had nothing to show, no powers to speak of, and any quest he tried to complete would undoubtedly be a disaster.

Not that Viktor would ever pick him anyway. There were demigods in the camp capable of creating typhoons or lightning storms, Yuuri decent ability with a sword was hardly a notable talent and Viktor likely had no idea that he even existed. Or if he did, he had probably only heard the rumours of the son of Aphrodite who some people weren’t even sure was really a demigod at all.

Yes, it really was for the best that there was no possible way Viktor would ever pick him, Yuuri reasoned to himself. He would only be a disappointment and embarrassing himself in front of his idol was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

“Well, who do you choose Viktor?” Celestino asked, tail swishing from side to side and looking at Viktor expectantly.

“I pick Yuuri Katsuki,” Viktor replied and silence fell over the crowd, every eye turning to Yuuri in a single moment.

Yuuri felt his heart plummet in his chest.

Oh no.

 

 

* * *

 

**Percy Jackson AU Part 2**

_Prompt no.44 - things you said before you kissed me_

 

“I’m sorry,” Viktor said, a white knuckled grip on his sword and a crack in his voice as he turned to Yuuri with fear in his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“Viktor, this isn’t your fault,” Yuuri replied but even he couldn’t deny the terror that was flooding his veins as the hoards of dracanae closed in around them, hissing menacingly as they did so.

“I convinced you to come here, I didn’t realise that it was a trap before it was too late,” Viktor replied and Yuuri could see the way his eyes darted around the oncoming masses as he spoke, searching desperately for any way out.

The dracanae were taking their time, enjoying watching the two demigods sweat as they were penned further and further in with no-where to run. Usually he and Viktor fought back to back, a familiar habit they had fallen into on their quest together, but this time Viktor almost seemed to be trying to circle him, his nervous pacing surrounding Yuuri on every side as they prepared to fight.

Yuuri almost wanted to roll his eyes, to push Viktor away and tell him to run. No matter how much Viktor could sway the odds of victory to their favour, there was only so much he could do and this time the cards were stacked far too well against them. But he still had the advanced strength and agility gifted to him by his mother, if there was anyone who would be able to escape the oncoming fight, it would be him.

But that would mean leaving Yuuri behind. And Yuuri knew from experience now that that was something that Viktor would never do. So they would stay and they would fight and no matter how good of a swordsman Yuuri knew himself to be, they would still lose.

Yuuri wasn’t scared of dying. But he was scared of dying with Viktor by his side.

If only he had some sort of godly powers, he thought desperately. Something, anything, that could tip the odds in their favour. Not enough to win but just enough to escape at least. But he had never shown any inkling of any kind of powers and more than that, he was a child of Aphrodite. What good could love do at a time like this?

“I would advise that you sssssay your goodbyes, demigods,” the lead dracaena hissed, twin tails twisting beneath her as she approached. “We wont wait for long.”

Viktor turned to him and Yuuri could see the resolution forming in his eyes, the familiar determination that he loved so well. Viktor had never been one for going down without a fight.

“Yuuri, I’m so sorry I got us into this mess,” Viktor told him, reaching out to cup Yuuri’s face in his hands. “But asking you to come with me on this quest. Meeting you. Falling in love with you. That was the best decision of my life.”

Yuuri opened his mouth to reply but before he could, Viktor had grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him on for a kiss. It was rough and messy and filled with desperation but Yuuri melted into it anyway, all thoughts of anything but Viktor suddenly draining from his mind as he kissed back.

The lead dracaena let out a loud hiss of displeasure, although it was almost lost to the roaring of Yuuri’s ears as he and Viktor continued to kiss.  _‘Kill them’_  he heard, as if from a long way off and suddenly the reality of their situation crashed back into him.

He was going to die. Viktor was going to die.

Viktor was going to die and he  _could not let that happen._

Pulling back from Viktor, he turned back towards the hoards of enemies with only one thought in his mind and the love he felt for Viktor coursing through his veins.

“STOP!” he all but screamed.

Everything froze. Every single dracanae halted in their tracks, eyes gazing over and limbs freezing as Yuuri’s words washed over them. Even Viktor froze, staring at Yuuri in wonder as the echo of his voice continued to reverberate around the hall.

Yuuri waited, breath held, expecting any minute for the monsters to unfreeze and advance on he and Viktor again. But nothing happened. They continued to remain motionless as Viktor glanced incredulously from the dracanae to Yuuri and back to the dracanae again.

“Yuuri, you can charmspeak,” he breath in awe. “Not even Chris can do that.”

“No, I…” Yuuri began to protest before trailing off, looking at the evidence before him. He was a dime a dozen demigod, he had never even shown a hint of godly powers before now. And yet there was no way to deny the evidence before him.

“Let’s just go before it wears off,” he said instead, grabbing Viktor’s arm and dragging him towards the exit. There would be time to deal with the new revelation later. 

The dracanae surrounding the entrance swayed as Yuuri pushed passed them but held their position, eyes still hazy as they watched he and Viktor leave.

“Do you think he’d go out with me,” one of them mumbled dazedly as Yuuri shoved by her, which he elected to ignore. Whatever power was running through his veins at the moment was a problem for another time.

When they were finally clear of the masses they both broke into a run, Viktor whistling for Makkachin the minute they were outside the protective wards that had kept her away. The massive hellhound appeared instantly, bounding up to them both to cover their faces with huge slobbery licks.

It only took a few hurried commands from Viktor before Yuuri felt the familiar sickening lurch of shadow travelling, never more grateful for the dog before now. It was only when they were safely far away that he finally allowed himself to sit down, legs giving out from under him as  the exhaustion of what he had just done finally hit him.

Viktor caught him on the way down, easing him into a sitting position and offering him some ambrosia from the pouch around his waist. Yuuri bit into it gratefully, feeling the familiar taste of katsudon on his tongue as he did so.

“You used a lot of power back there,” Viktor fussed over him, offering Yuuri his water bottle which Yuuri declined with a shake of his head. “How did you do it? I’ve never seen you use any powers before.”

“I finally figured out what love means to me,” Yuuri replied, smiling up at Viktor even through the exhaustion that was creeping into his bones. “It’s you.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/)


	3. Paramedic AU and Curse AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paramedic AU and Curse AU

**Paramedic AU**

_Prompt 56 - things you said in the spur of the moment_

 

“Sir, we need you to stay calm, we’ll get you to hospital as quickly as we can,” Yuuri said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, looking down at the man lying on the stretcher before him. The patient in question was gasping for breath, blue eyes pain-filled and unfocused but at the sound of Yuuri’s voice they flickered towards him and the man seemed to calm a little.

Yuuri reached behind himself to grab the oxygen, checking the mask quickly before leaning down to place it over the man’s face. The man’s eyes were still fixed on him and his hand reached up as Yuuri bent over, fingers wrapping weakly around Yuuri’s wrist and preventing him from moving any further.

“Are you an angel?” he mumbled, gazing up at Yuuri in what looked like awe. Yuuri could feel the sudden rush of heat to his cheeks at the words and heard Phichit snort loudly behind him. Yuuri opened his mouth to speak but before he could reply, the man’s eyes had rolled into the back of his head and he passed out, causing a flurry of movement from the other paramedics surrounding him.

“Well Yuuri, it looks like you really…took his breath away,” Phichit sniggered as Yuuri jammed the oxygen mask onto the man’s face and tried desperately to will away the blush still covering his cheeks. He had a job to do after all.

And if he secretly went to check on the mysterious patient in the hospital the next day, that was nobody’s business but his own

 

 

* * *

 

** Curse AU **

_Prompt 14 - things you said after you kissed me_

 

“Please don’t let me forget you,” Yuuri begged, hands fisted into the material of Viktor’s shirt and voice pleading. “Not again.”

“I’m sorry,” Viktor replied, feeling the sickening helplessness flood through him at the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to stop what was to come. He had searched and begged and bargained for a solution to the curse that lay so heavily over them both but everywhere he looked, he found only the same answer. There was nothing to be done. At the stroke of twelve that night, all knowledge of him would drain from Yuuri’s eyes and they would have to start their story anew, just as they had done so many times before.

They were both cursed, in a way. Yuuri with forgetfulness, a curse brought on by Viktor’s own careless actions. And Viktor with knowledge. Remembering each and every time he and Yuuri had fallen in love, only to watch those precious memories fade from Yuuri’s eyes. If only he hadn’t angered a sorcerer with his forgetfulness all those years ago. If only he had been more careful. If only Yuuri didn’t have to suffer for Viktor’s mistake.

“I’ll still be here,” he promised, holding Yuuri close and feeling the tears well up in his own eyes as he watched the hands of the clock tick closer and closer to the appointed hour. “No matter what, I’ll still be here.”

“But  _I_  wont be,” Yuuri replied, voice cracking on the words. “Not me as I am now. Not the me that loves you.”

“We’ll fall in love again,” Viktor tried to reassure him, although it did nothing to stop the tears sliding freely down his face. No matter how many times the curse had come into effect, stripping Yuuri of his memories of Viktor and all the love that came with it, he always fell again. Over and over, no matter what. “We always do.”

Yuuri stared at him for a few seconds, fear and love warring in his eyes. Then he grabbed Viktor by the front of his shirt and pulled him down into a desperate kiss, forcing them together until Viktor couldn’t tell where he ended and Yuuri began.

The chime of the clock echoed overhead, twelve solemn strikes ringing out and Viktor closed his eyes, savouring the kiss until the very last note sounded. When he finally pulled away he kept Yuuri close, held in the bracket of his arms as though force alone could make him stay.

Yuuri’s eyes were closed but as the last chime faded from the room they fluttered open, eyes wide and brown and full of confusion.

“ _Yuuri_ ,” Viktor breathed hoping beyond hope that maybe this time, it would be different.

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri replied, still looking as confused as ever. “But who are you?”

And Viktor’s heart shattered all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my tumblr [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more writing and prompts <3
> 
> Also, the next part of the assassin AU will be up soon ;)


	4. Espionage/Assassin AU Parts 4&5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Espionage/Assassin AU Parts 4&5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the second part for threats and implied graphic violence

**Espionage/Assassin AU Part 4**

 

_Promp no.20 - things you said that I wasn’t meant to hear_

 

 

 

_Four Months Previously…_

Yuuri sighed in contentment, snuggling down deeper into the bed and the warmth of Viktor’s side. Viktor’s skin was still radiating heat from the shower that they had just taken together and Yuuri felt lazy and relaxed, perfectly at peace and happy to just bask in the afterglow and the feeling of Viktor lying next to him.

It had been an eventful day for them both, spending their free time indulging together, Viktor’s childish delight at the simplest of things something that Yuuri could never get enough of. He had never thought someone could look so thrilled by a simple walk in the dog park or eating rapidly melting ice cream together by the lake but Viktor continued to prove him wrong. He had confessed to Yuuri previously that he had been far too much of a workaholic before beginning his year long break to really experience life the way he wanted to, but Yuuri hadn’t realised how many experiences Viktor seemed to be missing until they had started to do them together.

It was why he took every opportunity he could to spend time with Viktor, experiencing the small pleasures in life. Yuuri knew that he was guilty of overwork often too but with Viktor in his life, he treasured the days off he now had. Holiday time was a rare occurrence recently, considering his new promotion and finally being granted the higher clearance access he had been pushing for, but today had been one of those rare days. 

Viktor had tried a few times to ask Yuuri about how work was going during the course of the day, claiming he was worried about how many office hours Yuuri put in nowadays, but Yuuri had refused to talk about work on one of the few days he was free to do nothing but enjoy Viktor’s company. Viktor had dropped the subject easily and instead they had spent the day enjoying themselves to the fullest.

Now it was night-time and Yuuri had never felt more at peace. Lying next to Viktor made him feel perfectly safe and happier than he had in years. He loved everything about Viktor, from the way he smiled so brightly to the way he laughed full of joy or kissed Yuuri like he never wanted to let him go. Meeting Viktor that night at the bar all those months ago had been the best coincidence to ever happen to him, Yuuri knew that for certain.

Unexpectedly, Viktor reached out, brushing a strand of Yuuri’s hair off his face where it had fallen as Yuuri had begun to drift off into sleep. When Yuuri opened his eyes, Viktor’s expression was soft, eyes full of fondness as he look down at where Yuuri lay.

“I love you,” Yuuri mumbled without thought, reaching up to pull Viktor closer and closing his eyes again, feeling sated and more than ready to be lulled off into sleep by his own tiredness and the steady rise and fall of Viktor’s breathing.

“I love you too,” Viktor replied, without hesitation.

Several long minutes passed and Yuuri found himself drifting further and further into sleep. Before he could fully slip away however, there was a quiet noise from his right, a hissed word breathed into the air above him and jolting him out of his slumber.

“блядь” Viktor swore quietly and Yuuri jumped at the unexpected noise, concern flooding through him at what could have caused Viktor’s sudden hushed outburst. When he opened his eyes and looked around the room however, there was nothing. Only Viktor sitting in the bed where he had been all along, fingers fisted tightly in the bedsheets and looking off into the distance, eyes unfocused.

“Viktor, what’s wrong?” Yuuri asked, hearing the worry in his own voice. 

“It’s nothing.”

Viktor turned to him with a smile, all traces of his previous outburst vanished, as if they had never been there at all. He reached out, stroking a finger gently down Yuuri’s cheek and Yuuri immediately relaxed at the touch.

“Go back to sleep Солнышко” Viktor murmured, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Yuuri wanted to question it, still confused at the unexpected moment, but the drowsiness was beginning to engulf him again, encouraged by Viktor’s soothing touch. Viktor seemed completely unconcerned and so Yuuri allowed himself to relax, drifting off again with the warmth of his lover by his side.

 

* * *

 

Viktor stared down at Yuuri, feeling the tangled mess of his emotions roil in his gut at the realisation that had just hit him. Yuuri looked so perfectly lying there, so peaceful. He had told Viktor that he loved him and Viktor had answered without thought, without question.

Without lying.

He was completely in love with Yuuri Katsuki.

He was completely in love with his target.

 

 

 

* * *

 

**Espionage/Assassin AU Part 5**

_Prompt no.5 - things you didn’t say at all_

 

_Present day..._

 

“You have such a pretty face,” the man hissed and Yuuri shuddered at the tone, malice twisted into every word. “It’ll be such a shame to break it.”  

A hand shot out, clammy fingers grabbing onto Yuuri’s chin and forcing his face up so that their eyes met. Yuuri recoiled, pulling as far away as he could but the bindings on his wrists and legs that secured him to the chair prevented him from moving more than a few centimetres in either direction.

The sharp jerking movement sent a jolt of pain running across his chest, the bruises covering his torso from the less than gentle handling he had been subjected to flaring up again as he tried to suppress a wince. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to push the pain down, knowing that the bruises would be the least of his worries soon enough.

“Of course, we can still avoid all that unpleasantness,” the man smiled, although there was nothing comforting about the expression, just a baring of teeth. “All you need to do is tell me what I want to know and I’ll let you walk free.”

“No you wont,” Yuuri muttered bitterly, glaring at the man above him and trying to inject every ounce of disdain he felt into his voice. The man let out a short bark of laughter in response, looking almost amused.

“You’re right, I wont,” he grinned, eyes flashing in the dim lights of the warehouse. “But I’ll make it quick. If you don’t co-operate on the other hand…”  

“I’m not going to tell you anything,” Yuuri spat out before he had even finished speaking and felt a smug rush of satisfaction at the brief annoyance that flashed through the other man’s eyes.

“Fine, have it your way then,” he replied, lip curling disdainfully as he looked down at Yuuri. “That attitude wont last long, I can promise you that. I’m much less delicate with how I get my information that Nikiforov is.”

Yuuri flinched a little at the sound of Viktor’s name before he could stop himself, the wound still too fresh and painful for the reminder. His captor noticed immediately and his twisted smile widened at the sight.

“He’s very good and what he does, isn’t he?” the man purred, watching Yuuri’s face closely for any sign of a reaction. “He really makes his targets believe it and takes all their secrets without them even knowing about it. They love him right up until the point where he puts a bullet between their eyes. I doubt you were any different.”

Yuuri refused to flinch again, tasting the bitter tang of blood on his tongue where he had bitten the inside of his cheek, determined not to allow any of the misery he was feeling show on his face. He wouldn’t show weakness to this man, not even as the truth was hurled back at him, undeniable and as painful as the moment he had first discovered it.

“You’d probably have been better off if you’d stayed with him though,” his captor mused, a twisted grin still leering down at Yuuri as he spoke. “He always does it cleanly. They never even realise what’s coming. I on the other hand, like to play with my food a bit more.”

The hand holding Yuuri’s face slid into his hair, wrenching his head back as Yuuri bit back a cry of pain.

“You really did love him didn’t you,” the man crowed, looking down at Yuuri’s face and Yuuri cursed himself for whatever slip of his expression had allowed the other man to see the truth beneath it.

Yuuri refused to answer, teeth clenched together to keep his mouth locked shut and wishing that the words weren’t true.

“ _I did love him_ ,” he thought as the man above him laughed, though he refused to say it out loud. Much as he wished to banish the emotions, they still clung on, stubborn to the last. A stain that could never be scrubbed clean.  _“And somehow, I still do.”_

It didn’t matter though. It’s not like Viktor would ever hear it after all

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> блядь - roughly translates to ‘fuck’  
> Солнышко - a Russian term of endearment, a diminutive of the word ‘sun’
> 
> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) <3


	5. Percy Jackson AU Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy Jackson AU Part 3

**Percy Jackson AU Part 3**

_Prompt no.11 - things you said when you were drunk_

 

Yuuri was drunk.

Yuuri was very, very drunk. Yuuri hadn’t been this drunk since one of Dionysus’s children had accidentally cursed all the water to turn to wine in the camper’s mouths and everyone had been walking round in a state of semi-intoxication for nearly a week.

The party around him was in full swing, everyone celebrating Viktor’s latest successful quest. Even Makkachin had temporarily been allowed into the safety of the camp as a favour to her owner, although most of the campers were giving her an extremely wide berth.

The massive hellhound barked excitedly from her spot on the edge of the party as a group of demigods drew near, then her ears drooped down again when one of them let out a small squeak of terror at the size of her fangs and hurried away.

Yuuri staggered his way towards the massive dog, trying to find his feet on the suddenly swaying ground and all but collapsing in front of her. Makkachin usually wasn’t allowed in the camp on Yakov’s orders, so he had never really had much chance to see her before, except the occasional glimpses of her phasing into existence whenever Viktor stepped outside the camp’s protective boundary.

Makkachin’s ears perked up again as Yuuri got closer and she pushed her nose towards his hand, nearly knocking him off his feet as she did so.

“You’re a good dog,” Yuuri mumbled, feeling the heaviness of the alcohol on his tongue as he petted Makkachin and trying to remember just why he had wandered over there in the first place. “A very good girl.”

“She is, isn’t she,” came a voice from behind him and Yuuri whipped round, swaying dangerously on his feet and trying to focus on the figure who had spoken.

Makkachin barked excitedly again as Viktor came closer, the son of Nike smiling softly as his hand joined Yuuri’s running through her fur.

“Hellhounds usually only like children of Hades but Makkachin is a big softie, she likes everyone,” Viktor grinned, before his face fell a little. “I just wish the other campers weren’t so scared of her.”

“I’m not scared of her,” Yuuri tried to explain, although the words sounded a little slurred even to his own ears. Normally, he wouldn’t be talking to Viktor Nikiforov in any circumstances but it seemed like the copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed had stripped him of his inhibitions as well as his balance. “I think she’s a very good dog.”

“Yes, I heard,” Viktor laughed, turning to Yuuri with a smile. The pale moonlight reflected off the silver of his hair, casting it into shimmering waves falling across his face. Viktor should have been the son of Aphrodite, Yuuri mused, rather than someone powerless like him.

The sounds of the party rose as the music changed into something even more lively and a couple of people called Viktor’s name, waving him over enthusiastically. Viktor just waved them aside with a smile however, making no move to re-join the celebrations.

“Shouldn’t you go back to the party?” Yuuri asked, wondering if it was just the alcohol in his brain that was preventing him from figuring out why Viktor wasn’t out there celebrating like he should be. Viktor just sighed, shoulders slumping a little as he did so.

“I supposed,” he murmured, reaching out to pet Makkachin again and looking at the other celebrating campers with a strange look in his eyes. “But they’ll all want to hear about what hero I am, what heroic deeds I pulled off on my latest quest and I just…”

He trailed off, leaving the words unfinished. Yuuri wasn’t quite sure why Viktor seemed so reluctant to be swamped with campers desperate to hear him speak about his latest adventure but even in his drunk state, he could see the slight hunch in Viktor’s frame and the slightly mournful look in his eyes.

“What about dancing then?” Yuuri blurted out, hoping that Viktor would smile at him again. Whenever Viktor smiled, it always left a warm, fuzzy feeling inside him. “I like dancing. Dancing always makes me feel better. Do you want to dance with me Viktor?”

Viktor turned to him, looking a little startled but when Yuuri offered his hand, he took it with a smile.

“I think I’d like that,” Viktor told him as Yuuri pulled him back into the crowds.

 

* * *

 

 

Viktor’s laugh was infectious, lighting up the whole camp as Yuuri caught him in his arms, dipping him at the end of another song. They had been dancing for what felt like hours but neither of them were in any mood to stop.

“This is the most fun I’ve had in years,” Viktor gasped as the music struck up again and Yuuri pulled him to his feet, mildly impressed with himself for keeping his feet even as the world tilted a little around him.

“What about all the quests you’ve been on?” Yuuri asked, pulling Viktor into a spin as the other man beamed at him. “Are they not fun too.”

“Not like this,” Viktor replied, eyes sparkling under the light of the moon. “Nothing compares to this.”

“I’ve never been on a quest before,” Yuuri mused, very glad for the alcohol in his system loosening his tongue. It wasn’t something he usually liked to admit out loud, a senior camper and yet he’d never even been assigned one single quest. But with Viktor, it felt right.

“I’ll take you on a quest Yuuri,” Viktor promised, hand tight in Yuuri’s own. “If you can fight like you can dance, I’m sure you’re really something spectacular.”

Yuuri’s feet chose exactly that moment to stumble on the seemingly flat ground beneath him, sending him stumbling into Viktor’s arms. Viktor caught him as he fell and Yuuri took a few self-indulgent seconds to let his drunk mind enjoy the way his face was pressed against Viktor’s hard chest.

“I’d like that,” he mumbled into Viktor’s shirt, too drunk to be embarrassed as he clung on. “Be my partner, Viktor.”

Viktor opened his mouth as if to reply but a surprised call of  _‘Yuuri?’_  stopped them both.  

“Wow, how much have you had to drink little brother?” Chris asked, ignoring Yuuri’s scowl at the nickname. They were only half-brothers and their ages were hardly far apart but Chris insisted on using it anyway. He had appointed himself Yuuri’s unofficial mentor when he had first arrived at the Aphrodite cabin all those years ago and was still determined to figure out how to help Yuuri unlock his powers, one way or another.

Chris raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response but Yuuri just shrugged lopsidedly. Without Phichit there like he normally would be to celebrate together, he had drunk far more than he normally would to avoid the awkward small talk at the beginning of the night and everything seemed to have spiralled from there.

“Right, I think it’s time to get you home then,” Chris decided, hooking his hands under Yuuri’s arms and prying him off Viktor. “Don’t worry Viktor, I’ll make sure he gets back to our cabin safely.”

“I’ll help too,” Viktor offered, reaching out to help support Yuuri’s other side with his arm. “And don’t worry Yuuri, I won’t forget my promise.”

“Thanks Viktor,” Yuuri mumbled, suddenly feeling the world fade a little around him. He had felt reasonably fine a moment ago but it seemed like the last round of shots had finally hit him and he was suddenly very grateful for Viktor and Chris support keeping him upright. “I really like you, you know.”

Distantly, he heard Chris snort but he hardly cared. When they finally reached the Aphrodite cabin, Chris escorted him inside, waving goodbye to Viktor at the door. Yuuri waved too, feeling vaguely annoyed at Chris for ending the night so soon. He didn’t have time to argue however because as soon as his head hit his own pillow, he was asleep, the alcohol easily lulling him away.

When he woke up the next morning, he remembered nothing.

 

* * *

 

 

”So I see you’ve met my favourite sibling then,” Chris grinned, mirth dancing in his eyes as he exited the Aphrodite cabin again to where Viktor was still waiting.

“Chris,” Viktor replied, sounding a little awestruck. “I think I’m in love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Check out cutekatsuki's absolutely adorable art of this ficlet!](https://cutekatsuki.tumblr.com/post/168009344804/i-really-love-kazliins-percy-jackson-au-so-far)
> 
> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/)


	6. Espionage/Assassin AU Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Espionage/Assassin AU Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for descriptions of violence

**Espionage/Assassin AU Part 6**

_Prompt no.24 -  things you said with clenched fists_

 

Viktor could hear nothing over the frantic pounding of his own heart, slamming against his ribcage almost painfully as he sprinted down the hallway. Finding the location where Yuuri was being held had wasted precious time, time he couldn’t afford to lose when Yuuri’s life was on the line.

He just prayed that he wouldn’t be too late.

The compound he had tracked Yuuri’s captors to was remote, a concrete slab of a bunker in the middle of nowhere with precious few ways in or out. For someone of his skillset however, it should almost have been child’s play to infiltrate the base. Something he had done thousands of times before with ease. But despite that, Viktor had fumbled, his work sloppier and less controlled than usual. Once he almost missed a guard going for the alarm as he worked his way silently through the base, an unforgivable mistake had he not caught the man just in time.

It was sentiment. Sentiment that was causing his hands to tremble as he ran silently through the building, sentiment that was causing his heart to race and his chest to clench painfully tight at the thought of what might await him at the end of his journey. It was why people like him never got attached, never had people they cared about because caring was a liability.

But he had fallen in love. And now Yuuri was paying for it.

Viktor came to a stop as he finally reached a corner, a long corridor beyond. Peering around it stealthily, he took in the sight before him. At the end of the hallway stood a door, sleek and metal, set deep into the wall. Two guards were standing outside, looking bored and relaxed after what must have been a long shift.

Darting around the corner, Viktor struck, lightning fast. The guards were on the floor before they even had time to cry out.

Once they were dealt with, Viktor turned to the door, swiping one of the access cards from the bodies on the floor. The red light by the lock flashed to green the minute the card touched it and Viktor was already moving before the door had even swung fully open, gun raised and firing.

The guards in the room fell within seconds, taken completely by surprise and with no time to raise their own weapons to retaliate. Viktor’s eyes darted around the room in seconds, assessing threats, taking out targets until his eyes finally fell on…

Viktor felt his heart lurch to a sickening stop in his chest at the sight before him. Yuuri was bound to a chair in the centre of the room, dark hair mattered with dried blood and face slack and pale. His body was limp and motionless but Viktor could see the jump of a pulse in the exposed line of Yuuri’s neck.

A neck that was clearly on display as a hand tangled in Yuuri’s hair, wrenching his unresponsive head back and pressing the wicked steel of a knife to his throat.

“I would stop there if I were you,” the man standing over Yuuri warned, eyes darting around the room as he spoke, flickering over the fallen guards. The fear was clear in his eyes as he looked at Viktor but his hand was steady on the knife, pressing hard enough to draw a thin line of blood from Yuuri’s skin.

“If you hurt him, I’ll kill you,” Viktor gritted out, hand tightening on his gun until his fingers ached with the force of the grip. Everything in him screamed at him to shoot the man who was holding Yuuri’s life in his hands but the knife was too close to Yuuri’s neck and it wasn’t a risk he could take. Not while Yuuri’s life was on the line.

“I’ve already hurt him,” Yuuri’s captor sneered, gesturing to Yuuri’s face and the bruises already blooming there. “He’s a strong one you know. Hasn’t told me anything yet, no matter how hard I tried to…persuade him.”

Viktor started forward instinctively, anger boiling in his veins but he stopped short when he saw the knife cut a little deeper into Yuuri’s neck, sending fresh beads of blood rolling down his throat.

“Ah ah ah,” the man crooned, eyes flashing with triumph at Viktor’s hesitance. “If you value this one’s life, you’ll stop right there. Put your gun down and kick it over to me, unless you want to see just how quickly I can cut his throat.”

For a wild second, Viktor was almost tempted to shoot him anyway, anything to get the man’s hands off of Yuuri and to make him pay for what he had done. But visions of the knife sliding across Yuuri’s throat as the man crumpled to the ground filled him with icy fear, freezing the blood in his veins and stopping his heart cold.

Instead, Viktor lowered the gun, inch by inch until it was lying on the ground before him. Gritting his teeth to quell the rising bile in the back of his throat, he kicked the gun towards the man before him and watched as he bent to pick it up. Anything if it meant keeping Yuuri alive.

“It’s a shame to see Viktor Nikiforov brought so low,” the man mocked as he stood up again, Viktor’s gun in his hand. “And all for love. Pathetic.”

The hand that was holding the knife dropped away from Yuuri’s throat as instead the gun was levelled at Viktor’s head.

“And now you’re going to let me go,” the man added with a twisted smile.

A gunshot rang out throughout the room, echoing off the walls, mingling with the sound of a body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

“He might, but I won’t,” came a voice from the other side of the room.

The speaker emerged from the shadows, Viktor tensing as his eyes flickered between the body of Yuuri’s captor now lying on the floor and the new player who had just entered the game. The man’s hair was sleek and black, his skin a few shades darker than Yuuri’s and face a few years younger, with a fiercely protective light in his eyes. He was dressed from head to toe in black, body armour and harnesses familiar to Viktor’s eyes.

An agent.

Viktor had gone up against his type before, well trained and absolutely deadly. When he had first been contracted to play honeypot to one of their handlers, he had been wary at first. Crossing agents was a bad idea, even in his business. But Yuuri, vastly intelligent as he might have been, had shown no signs of the fierce training of the agents who worked with him. He might have had a vast knowledge of almost every undercover operation, every sleeper agent, every mission that was putting all of Viktor’s client’s highly illegal business interests at risk but Yuuri co-ordinated the missions from behind the scenes, not in the field. He hadn’t seen Viktor for what he was, not until it was already too late.

The agent in black seemed to have already dismissed Viktor as a threat, instead dashing over to Yuuri. Dark eyes flickered over Yuuri’s face, fingers searching for a pulse beating in his neck and Viktor could hear the sigh of relief when it was found.

“I thought we’d lost you,” the agent murmured to Yuuri, although Yuuri showed no signs of responding, eyes still closed. “The others are on their way. We’ll bring you home.”

Viktor felt a surge of something unpleasant twist in his gut, mingling strangely with the relief of seeing Yuuri safe. He took a step forward on instinct, determined to reach Yuuri too but the sharp click of a gun readying stopped him dead.

The agent had spun around at his movement, crouched over Yuuri protectively with his gun levelled between Viktor’s eyes. Without his own gun to protect him, Viktor came to an abrupt halt, looking at the agent warily.

“If you take one step closer, I’ll shoot you,” the agent warned. “Don’t think that I won’t.”

“I’m trying to help him,” Viktor insisted but the man just snorted out a bitter laugh.

“It’s because of you that he’s in this mess in the first place,” he spat at Viktor. “Do you really think I’m going to let you near him after that.”

“Please…” Viktor tried again. He wasn’t used to begging but for Yuuri he would. “I need to see him. To make sure that he’s ok. There are so many things I need to tell him…I…”

The words hung in the air for a moment as the agent’s eyes bore into him. It went against everything Viktor ever knew to reveal his biggest secret to an enemy but it was his last hope.

“I love him.”

“I know,” the agent sighed after an agonising few seconds, although he was still watching Viktor warily. “It’s because of you that we found him. We followed you here once we realised what you were trying to do. But that doesn’t change what you are.”

The look he gave Viktor was almost pitying.

“The rest of my team will be here any minute. Yuuri almost gave his life to protect us, to keep out identities secret from the people who hired you. We would do the same for him in an instant. And none of them are going to be very happy to see you here.”

Viktor opened his mouth to reply but the agent cut him off before he could speak.

“You helped us find Yuuri. You tried to save him. Because of that, I’ll let you go. Just this once. A favour for a favour,” the agent offered, gun never leaving Viktor’s face. “But if we ever meet again, if you ever come near Yuuri again, I’ll take you down.”

“I wont leave him,” Viktor insisted, fists clenched as he took another step forward despite the gun that was still pointed at him. “Not now.”

The sound of boots hitting metal floor echoed around the room, faint at first but drawing nearer. The other agents were on their way.

“Run now, Viktor Nikiforov,” the agent told him, voice hard and still standing protectively over Yuuri. “While you still have the chance.”

_TBC…_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more ficlets and other YOI related content <3


	7. Percy Jackson AU Parts 4&5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy Jackson AU Parts 4&5

** Percy Jackson AU Part 4 **

_Prompt - Percy Jackson AU : An Adventure in Tartarus_

 

There had been no warning before it happened.

One minute Viktor had been grinning at him, a thin trickle of blood smudged across the corner of his mouth and his hair plastered to his face with sweat after a battle well fought and the next, Yuuri was falling. The roar of collapsing rocks echoed in his ears as the floor of the cavern gave way, the fissures widening and breaking so suddenly there wasn’t even time to think. He reached out on instinct, fingers locking around Viktor’s wrist as they both tumbled down, his other hand catching onto stone above him.

His muscles screamed in protest as his body jerked to a halt, fall cut short as his nails bit into the stone crevice he had caught himself on. When Yuuri looked up, he could see the edge of the cavern floor above him, the section that had crumbled away beneath his and Viktor’s feet echoing as it clattered down the pit below them. The ledge he had used to stop their fall was barely a few centimetres in depth, with barely any purchase to dig his fingers into as he clung on for dear life.

Below him, Viktor hand was still locked tightly in his, clinging on as Viktor dangled over the void with nothing but Yuuri keeping him from the fall into darkness. When Yuuri looked down he could see the fear in Viktor’s eyes, the white-knuckled grip he had on Yuuri’s hand and the gaping maw of the pit below them, stretching down further than the eye could see.

_Tartarus._

Even its name sent a chill up Yuuri’s spine, icy fingers of terror wrapping around his throat as he tried to breathe through the panic that was clawing at him. The cavern they had been standing in was built over the pit, they had all known that, but they never could have predicted that their battle would destabilize it enough for this. Now he was staring down into the face of every demigods worst nightmare and already he could feel his grip on the tiny stone edge slipping, the weight of Viktor pulling him down.

“ _Yuuri! Viktor!_ ” came the anguished cries from above him and Phichit’s head suddenly appeared over the edge where they had all previously been standing, eyes wide with terror. Chris appeared a few seconds later, scrambling so that he was half hanging over the edge, staring down in fear at where his two friends were dangling. It seemed they had been spared the cavern collapse, both standing on the more stable section of floor, and for that Yuuri could only be grateful.

“Yuuri, take my hand!” Phichit called down to him, lowering his upper half over the lip of the jagged edge of floor and stretching down to Yuuri with an open hand. His fingers flexed just a few centimetres from where Yuuri clung on but the distance felt like far further, stretching into eternity. With a grunt of effort, Yuuri tried to pull himself up and close the gap between them but Viktor’s weight combined with his own was too much. The force sent his hand grasping the tiny stone ledge sliding a few millimetres closer to the edge and Yuuri felt his heartbeat kick up a notch, thumping painfully in his chest as he dug his fingers into the stone for dear life.

“Yuuri, you can’t hold us both,” Viktor called up to him and Yuuri’s head snapped around, staring at Viktor in horror. Viktor’s face was still sheet white but his expression had locked down, now full of the steely determination that Yuuri had so come to love. Below him, Tartarus stretched on and on, a pit of unknowable depths with nightmares lurking within.

“Yes I can” he called back to Viktor, voice strained with the effort of holding them both up, gasping for breath.

He had to be able to hold them both until Phichit and Chris could reach them, there was no other option.  Tartarus was below them, a long fall and a chilling destination. Every monster they had fought, every detestable creature they had destroyed and every being that hated he and Viktor with a passion was down there. Every battle they had ever fought all rolled into one and the only thing holding he and Viktor back from it was his desperate grip on the rock above him.

The cavern shuddered again, another section of rock crumbling into the abyss and the shockwaves rocked through them both, Viktor’s grip on his hand slipping until they were clinging on by nothing but the tips of their fingers. Yuuri clenched his fist, desperately trying to keep hold but the sweat coating both their palms only loosened his grip further. Above him, Phichit and Chris were still leaning down, desperately trying to reach them but Yuuri had eyes only for Viktor.

The darkness of the pit below him threw every feature of Viktor’s face into sharp contrast, the blue of his eyes clear and devastating where they were filled with sorrow. Somewhere far below him there came a hissing, what sounded like a thousand gleeful voices at once rising from the depths. There was a coldness emanating from the pit, chilling Yuuri straight down to the bone as he felt Viktor’s fingers slide further out of his grip, no matter how hard he tried to cling on.

“Yuuri, this isn’t your fault,” Viktor told him, voice strangely quite as he gazed up at Yuuri, as though memorizing his face for the last time. Yuuri opened his mouth to reply, to insist that he would never let Viktor go, he refused to, but before he could, another shudder rocked the cavern. More rocks fell, one narrowly missing Yuuri’s head and sending a shudder through his whole body with the force of the tremour.

Viktor’s fingers slipped from his grip and the last thing Yuuri saw was Viktor’s face as he fell, before the darkness swallowed him whole.

“ _VIKTOR!_ ” he screamed, horror clawing at his throat and brain not able to take in what had just happened. Viktor was the lucky one, Viktor was the hero. Viktor couldn’t be gone. He couldn’t be.

Yuuri was frozen in place, muscles going slack with shock as the reality of what had just happened hit him but before his brain could fully process the event, warm fingers locked around his wrist, dragging him up to safety. When he looked up, he saw Phichit dangling over the edge of the cavern, Chris’ hands locked around his legs and allowing him the extra height he needed to reach where Yuuri still clung on.

Without Viktor’s extra weight, pulling Yuuri up was almost easy and he put up no protest. Still numb with shock, heart still hammering with horror and devastation, Viktor’s face as he fell still burned in his mind. Not even the warm arms of his friends could shake him out of his task as they pulled him into crushing hugs, tears glistening on both of their faces.

“I’m sorry,” Chris whispered, voice cracking on the words as he stared at the broken edge of the floor where Viktor had fallen. “We didn’t reach you in time. I’m so sorry.”

There was the same uncomprehending shock on his face that Yuuri was sure was written across his own. He didn’t even move when the cavern rocked a third time, sending more debris crumbling over the edge of the pit as more of the floor broke away.

It was Phichit that pulled them both to their feet, dragging them away from the edge as dust rained down around them as the cracks in the ceiling widened. Yuuri moved automatically, allowing himself to be dragged away with his gaze still fixed on the pit where Viktor had fallen.

He wasn’t dead, Yuuri knew that. He could  _feel_  it. But he was trapped down there, in a pit full of monsters. Alone, with no-one protecting his back or fighting by his side.

Phichit let go of his hand, raising his arm to protect his eyes from the falling dust and debris and in that moment, Yuuri made his decision. Before either of his friends could do more than blink he had wrenched himself away from them, sprinting back over to the crumbling edge of the cavern and the pit that lay below.

There was a way out of Tartarus, that he knew. He had no idea where, had no idea what he would face at the bottom of the pit but the one thing he knew was that Viktor was down there. He needed Yuuri, just like Yuuri needed him. Tartarus might be a place full of his worst nightmares but Yuuri wouldn’t let Viktor face it alone.

“Yuuri,  _no_!” he heard Phichit scream from behind him but Yuuri had already made up his mind, even as he heard the sound of frantic feet running towards him.  _‘Stay close to me’_ , Viktor had begged him once. Yuuri wasn’t going to break that promise now.

 _‘We go together,’_  he thought as he stared down in the depths of the pit below him, the darkness calling him down.  _‘Or not at all.’_

Taking a final step forward, Yuuri let himself fall.

 

* * *

 

**Percy Jackson AU Part 5**

 

“I miss katsudon,” Yuuri signed mournfully, resting against Viktor’s shoulder as he stared out at the black, rocky landscape in front of them. The air was bitter with fumes, mingling with his breath and making his voice rasp on every word. All around them, he could hear the faint cries and shrieks of the monsters who inhabited the pit. So far, none had found the hiding place that he and Viktor were camped out in but it was only a matter of time.

“Here, have some ambrosia,” Viktor offered, pulling a small square from the pouch around his waist. Yuuri just shook his head, pushing the food away with a regretful sigh. Their supplies were limited and rapidly dwindling with each passing day. They couldn’t waste a single crumb.

He didn’t want to think about what would happen once they ran out.

“You need to eat,” Viktor insisted, pushing the square into Yuuri’s hand with a look of determination on his face. “It’s my fault you’re stuck down here. At least let me do this for you.”

Yuuri knew the look on Viktor’s face all too well and decided not to protest any further. He bit into the ambrosia, sighing happily as the familiar taste flooded onto his tongue. As he chewed, he felt the numerous cuts and bruises scattered across his body begin to heal, their sting gradually fading to nothing. Tartarus hadn’t been kind to either of them and it was a relief to finally be rid of the ever-present ache.

“You need to eat too,” he added, turning back to Viktor and offering out the rest of the ambrosia. Viktor took it without protest, although there was no relief in his expression as he ate. Instead his eyes were fixed on Yuuri, full of concern. Just as they had been from the minute Yuuri had followed him into the pit of nightmares that they were now trapped in.

Yuuri turned back to the unforgiving landscape in front of them, watching as clouds of sulphur drifted across the rocks and the black river spat and hissed in the distance. He would never regret his choice to follow Viktor, not ever. But even that didn’t fully cure the ache in his chest for the world above and everything that they had left behind.

“Do you think we’ll ever get out,” he asked quietly, still pressed against Viktor’s shoulder and feeling the rise and fall as he breathed.

“I do,” Viktor replied and there was nothing but complete certainty in his voice. Viktor was almost boundlessly optimistic, as if he could will success into existence just by believing it hard enough. And sometimes, he even could.  

“We’ll find a way,” Viktor added, lacing his finger through Yuuri’s as they sat side by side. “I promise.”

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, staying alert and keeping watch for any sign of danger. They had already learned the hard way that Tartarus was not the place to let your guard down.

“Do you remember how we first met?” Viktor asked after a while, breaking the silence.

“You know that I don’t,” Yuuri replied, feeling a slight smile twitch at his lips. He knew what Viktor was doing, trying to distract them both from the reality of the situation, but he didn’t mind. Happy memories were far better than the bleak present.

“You danced like you were making music with your body,” Viktor sighed, a little dreamily. “You lit up my whole world that night. Then the oracle told me to choose a partner for my next quest, to choose wisely, and I already knew exactly who I wanted.”

There was something in his voice as he spoke, words full of emotion as he lost himself in the memory.

“I used to think that the gods must have cursed me for all the sorrow that’s happened in my life.” Viktor continued. “But then I met you and I knew that I could never be cursed, not if the world let me keep you by my side.”

Viktor turned to face him, hand reaching for Yuuri’s face to stroke reverently down his cheek as Viktor smiled.

“No matter what happens, you made it all worth it,” he finished, eyes never leaving Yuuri’s own.

“You changed my life too,” Yuuri replied, leaning in closer and reaching up to rest his hand over Viktor’s. “When you took me on that quest all those years ago, it changed me forever, in the best way. And ever since then, you’ve been an endless string of surprises. I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. I always want to stay by your side.”

Viktor smiled at him, as bright as the sun they might never see again, and then his lips were on Yuuri’s and they were kissing. Viktor’s lips tasted like sulphur but Yuuri didn’t care. He had kissed Viktor a thousand times before and would a thousand times again and it always felt like coming home.

“I just wish we’d had more time,” he murmured when they finally broke apart. A few short years together in the world of mortals was hardly enough to experience all the thing that he had wanted to experience with Viktor. “I wished we had had the chance to live a normal life. To grow old together. To get married.”

“Who says we can’t still get married?” Viktor asked unexpectedly. Yuuri blinked a little in surprise, thrown off by the sudden question.

“There’s no-one to marry us,” he pointed out. “And we don’t have any of the paperwork.”

“What, are the hoards of monsters trying to kill us not suitable legal witnesses?” Viktor laughed, eyes shining brightly in the half-light. “We’re stuck in every demigod’s nightmare, I’m asking you to marry me and you’re worried about the paperwork?”

“I…” Yuuri fumbled for words, trying to make sense of the sudden new path that the conversation had taken. “Wait, Viktor? You’re asking me to marry you?”

“Of course,” Viktor’s voice might have been light but his eyes were deadly serious. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and any life I have beyond. I always have. And you followed me into hell to protect me and stay by my side. I’d say this is as good a time as any, don’t you think?”

“I do,” Yuuri replied, without hesitation.

“I do too.”

Viktor smiled, face soft as he stared at Yuuri. Reaching out gently, he took one of Yuuri’s hands in his own and pressed a kiss to the knuckle, on the exact spot where a ring would sit.

“I don’t have a ring to give you,” Viktor added. “So this’ll have to do for now.”

“I’ll buy you a ring when we get out of here,” Yuuri promised. “So that everyone will know that we belong together.”

He still wasn’t sure that they would make it out alive. But he had followed Viktor to protect him. They would escape together or not at all. And if they were stuck in Tartarus for eternity, there was no-one he would rather have by his side.

“You know, Phichit and Chris are going to be so mad that they missed the wedding,” Viktor joked and Yuuri couldn’t help but laugh, the sound echoing off the cavern walls. They sat together, pressed close with no space between them and, just for a moment, the world felt at peace.

 

* * *

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT MARRIED WITHOUT US!” came twin shrieks several months later, Phichit and Chris looking at them both in horror. “We’ve been planning the wedding for  _years_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/)
> 
> (Also, for clarification, this set of ficlets takes place several years after the last ficlet for this AU that I wrote)


	8. Immortal AU, One-Night Stand AU and Ghost AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Immortal AU, One-Night Stand AU and Ghost AU

**Immortal AU**

_Prompt 43 - things you said in our vows_

 

The golden band around Viktor’s finger glinted, reflecting the morning sun as it rose across the water, casting the world into shades of orange and gold. The breeze danced across his outstretched hand and the taste of salt was sharp on his tongue as the sea rose and fell beneath him.

It was a familiar scene, something he had done many times before and would do many times again. Standing by the seashore, gazing at the ring that Yuuri had lovingly slipped onto his hand. Different with each lifetime, the lives Yuuri lived creating unique circumstances that still always ended up with a band around Viktor’s finger. Gold, silver, platinum, iron, once just a piece of string in a life where Yuuri was far too poor to afford anything else and Viktor loved him anyway.

Viktor had hundreds of rings stored away in his home, memories of hundreds of lives lived but the one glinting on his finger was his favourite. The ring Yuuri had given to him in his last lifetime, offered on the church steps with a smile as he slid it onto Viktor’s finger. The ring Viktor had been wearing for the past sixty years as Yuuri had grown old before his eyes, while Viktor had loved him until Yuuri’s last breath and beyond.

It was his curse, as much as it was his gift, Viktor knew. To never wither, to never age or die as the world spun on and the years flowed past him like a rushing stream, ever moving and ever changing. To watch and love and live his life with Yuuri by his side until the passage of time pulled Yuuri away from him again. To wait the agonising drawn out wait of the years between until Yuuri would return to him once more, new and young again and completely unknowing of what had come before. 

When Yuuri had passed from the world the last time, Viktor had waited, as he always did. Had stared at the pictures of them together, the photographs, the painting, the drawings. Had trailed his hands over the hundreds of rings and remembered the hundreds of lifetimes he had spent with the one who held his heart and waited for his return. And he was still waiting.

Footsteps from behind broke Viktor out of his trance, the patter of dog paws the only warning he got before a small shape collided with his body, barking excitedly. A worried shout of ‘ _Vicchan_ ’ was quick to follow as a dark-haired figure barrelled around the corner, diving for the leash trailing from the dog’s collar as he skidded to a stop.

Viktor’s heart stopped. Warm brown eyes stared up at him as the figure looked up, familiar eyes that had followed him throughout his entire immortal life. The man stood, pink cheeks flushed from running and black hair ruffled messily from the run, still grasping the dog’s leash in his hand.

“Sorry,” the man panted, pushing his hair out of his eyes as he looked accusingly down at the dog sitting happily by his feet. “Vicchan doesn’t usually run off like that. I don’t know what came over him.”

“It’s alright,” Viktor replied, voice steady despite the emotions roiling inside him. He stretched out a hand, impressed with himself when it remained completely steady. “I’m Viktor by the way.”

“I’m Yuuri,” Yuuri replied with a small smile, reaching out to take the hand. His skin was soft in Viktor’s palm, warming the cool metal circling his finger as Viktor’s heart soared. Yuuri was here. Yuuri had returned to him once again.

 _‘Until death do us part,’_  Yuuri had sworn to him once, many lifetimes ago.

 _‘Until death do us part. And then even longer,’_  Viktor couldn’t help but think as he looked at Yuuri, finally by his side once more.

 

* * *

 

**One-Night Stand AU**

_Prompt 52 - things you said with my lips on your neck_

 

When Yuuri woke up, the first thing he noticed was the very attractive man lying next to him.

They very attractive, very  _naked_  man lying next to him his brain registered, before the memories of the night before hit him full force, bringing a crashing wave of emotions with it.

He had never really been one to hook up with strangers before but there had been something about that night, something about the man now lying next to him that had drawn him in and refused to let him go. A magnetism between them, brought on the instant their eyes had met across the crowded bar.

‘ _Viktor_ ,’ Yuuri’s mind supplied as he gazed at the man sleeping peacefully next to him.  _‘His name is Viktor.’_

He had first heard the name shouted over the din of the bar when he and Viktor had first struck up conversation, elbows bumping and shoulders rubbing together as they were jostled by the bars other patrons, pushed together by the closeness of the crowd. Viktor’s eyes had been bright and his smile had been infectious as he offered Yuuri his hand and his name, Yuuri giving his own freely in return.

Their night had quickly progressed from there, both of them retreating to a quieter corner of the bar to talk, away from jostling crowds. The chiselled line of Viktor’s jaw and the soft sweep of his silver hair over bright blue eyes might have been what had caught Yuuri’s attention in the first place but it was soon Viktor’s bright humour and infectious laugh that had him hooked, hanging onto Viktor’s every word as they talked and laughed together. Over by the bar, Phichit had been shooting him approving looks all throughout the evening, flashing him a cheeky thumbs up when Viktor wasn’t looking. Phichit himself seemed to have caught the eye of one of the bar’s other patrons, an attractive blond man with streaks of a brown undercut running through his hair. They were both talking quietly together, occasionally sneaking glances over towards Yuuri and Viktor’s way when they seemed to think neither of them were looking.

The hours had passed by in a flurry of conversation, he and Viktor gradually inching closer together in their booth, secluded away in the back of the bar with eyes only for each other. When the last call rang out through the room, there was a promise in Viktor’s eyes and a suggestion on his lips, one that Yuuri had had no desire to refuse.

That was how he had found himself tangled up in the sheets of Viktor’s bed barely an hour later, warm hands leaving burning trails across his skin as he mouthed his way up Viktor’s neck.

 _“Please stay,”_  Viktor had whispered as he writhed under Yuuri’s touch.  _“Please say you’ll still be here when I wake up.”_

Which was how Yuuri found himself the next day, still tangled in the sheets of the bed and the warmth of Viktor’s limbs as the first rays of the morning sun streamed through the window. Viktor’s face was peaceful as he slept, soft and content as he clung to Yuuri’s side. Despite the disorientation of waking up in an unfamiliar room, Yuuri couldn’t help the warmth that bloomed in his chest at the sight.

He was all too aware that most hook-ups in bars led to nothing but awkward small talk the next day, regardless of the connection he had felt with the other man the night before. But even with that knowledge in mind, he couldn’t bring himself to leave. Not when he was feeling so content in the bracket of Viktor’s arms, with the words of the previous night still echoing in his ears.

Gently he shifted, reaching out one hand to brush an errant strand of hair away from Viktor’s face where he lay. Viktor sighed in contentment at the touch, eyelids fluttering open as he blinked sleepily in the morning light.

“You’re still here,” he breathed as soon as his eyes opened, expression lighting up as he gazed up at Yuuri’s face. “You stayed.”

“I did,” Yuuri confirmed relaxing slightly at the obvious pleasure on Viktor’s face.

“How do you feel about breakfast?” Viktor asked eagerly, sitting quickly upright and allowing the sheets to pool around him, exposing the top half of his body to Yuuri’s eyes and the coolness of the air around them. “It’ll be my treat.”

He sounded perfectly genuine and there was no hint of a desire for Yuuri to leave in his voice. Just open honesty and enthusiasm.

“I’d like that,” Yuuri replied, allowing a smile to spread across his face, matching Viktor’s own. He wanted to spend more time with Viktor, to get to know him properly, the way they hadn’t had much time to the night before. And from the sound of it, Viktor seemed to want the same. Maybe there was the chance for something more to grow between them after all.

Looking at Viktor’s bright smile, face bathed in the light of the early morning sun, Yuuri couldn’t think of anything that he wanted more. 

 

 

* * *

 

**Ghost AU**

_Prompt 35 - Things You Said That Made Me Feel Real_

 

“Thank you,” Viktor whispered, looking down at the gold band wrapped around Yuuri’s finger, Viktor’s name engraved neatly on the inside. His eyes were wide as he stared at the ring, awe clearly written across his face.

“So you like it then?” Yuuri asked nervously, watching as Viktor’s face broke out into a brilliant smile.

“I love it,” he beamed at Yuuri, stretched out a hand but not quite touching Yuuri’s own. Fingers ghosting over the ring there. The touch made Yuuri shiver, cold like ice.

“I’m just sorry I couldn’t get one for you too,” Yuuri added, feeling the familiar twist of sadness that always came whenever they talked about Viktor’s condition. “I just thought…well, you know…”

“It’s ok Yuuri, it’s not like I could wear it anyway,” Viktor shrugged but Yuuri could see the same sadness reflected back in Viktor’s own eyes.

“I know we’re not exactly normal,” Yuuri continued, reaching out to hover his fingers just above Viktor’s cheek, not quite brushing the pale skin there. “But I wanted us to have this at least. So that you know that you’re always loved, no matter what.”

Viktor smiled, turning his face to rest his cheek against Yuuri’s palm. His translucent skin passed right through the warmth of Yuuri’s hand, sending another spike of icy cold through Yuuri’s blood. The cold of the ring Yuuri was wearing burned, the engraved name of the ghost that he loved feeling like it was etching itself into his skin. Yuuri didn’t care. He wanted to keep Viktor with him forever.

“You don’t just make me feel loved Yuuri,” Viktor told him with a soft smile. “You make me feel  _real_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/)


	9. Medical AU, Arranged Marriage AU and Roommates AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medical AU, Arranged Marriage AU and Roommates AU

**Medical AU Part 1**

_Prompt - Doctors/medical AU_

 

“Did you know that they’ve slept together in the doctors lounge before?” one of the nurses whispered, looking gleeful as he delivered the latest piece of gossip to his huddle of eagerly awaiting friends. “I’ve heard they’re into almost being caught.”

“Someone told me that one of the porters caught them stumbling out of a supplies cupboard looking  _very_ dishevelled last week,” one of the others replied with a gleeful expression, as the conversation broke out into more excited whispers.

Phichit had to fight to hide his snort of laughter. The persistent gossip in the hospital about his best friend was an endless source of entertainment for him, but very seldom had even a grain of truth to it. He knew for a fact that the most that Yuuri and Viktor had ever done in the hospital was exchange coffee flavoured kisses in quiet hallways. And even those were usually broken up by the incessant beep of pagers or the pressing call of the beginning of another shift. 

Still trying to stifle his laughter, Phichit made his way down the hall, away from the group and into the doctor’s lounge, fully intent on collapsing onto the nearest chair as soon as he could and not moving for as long as possible. When he opened the door, the sight in front of him made him smile. 

Viktor was passed out on the nearest sofa, legs dangling over the end as he snored. Yuuri was lying on top of him, drooling slightly into Viktor’s scrubs with his stethoscope still wrapped around his neck. Both of them had dark circles under their eyes and looked completely dead to the world.

“Looks like we caught them in another wild night of passion,” Chris said conversationally from one of the armchairs, nodding over at their two sleeping friends. Viktor snored a little louder and Yuuri mumbled something incoherent, burying his face deeper into Viktor’s neck.

Phichit snorted at the comment, rolling his eyes at the other man.

“If only the rest of the staff could see them now,” he joked.

“Thank goodness they can’t,” Chris replied with a slight smirk. “The gossip mill would be terribly boring if everyone knew what Viktor actually meant every time he asks Yuuri to sleep together after a shift. It would ruin all of my fun.”

Phichit just laughed, flopping down into the nearest chair and sighing in relief at the feeling. Yuuri and Viktor slept on, tangled in each other and completely lost to sleep.

 

* * *

 

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 1**

_Prompt 46 - Things you said when you kissed me goodnight_

 

It was late when the last of the guests finally left the ball, trickling away into their carriages and off into the inky blackness of the night. When the last echo of hooves finally faded from hearing, Viktor let out a sigh of relief, taking Yuuri’s hand with a smile as they made their way up the staircase of their home together.

Social functions had never been one of Yuuri’s preferred forms of entertainment, nor his forte, but balls were now mildly more bearable with Viktor by his side. Viktor was engaging to talk to and a quick to laugh, the perfect buffer between Yuuri and any unwanted conversations a night mingling with the elite of society inevitably brought. And when they danced, it was like there was no-one else in the room but each other. Viktor’s eyes were fixed on him and only him, the rest of the world melting away around them as they spun together.

“You looked beautiful tonight,” Viktor complimented him as they ascended the stairs together and Yuuri had to fight to hide his blush. Viktor was free with his compliments around Yuuri, much freer than someone of his station should be, marriage or not. When their families had first introduced them to each other, Yuuri had almost thought he spoke in jest whenever he lavished Yuuri with praise. But the more they had grown to know each other, the more he had realised that Viktor’s comments came entirely from the heart.

“And you also,” he replied, glancing up at Viktor and watching as Viktor’s face broke out into a beaming smile. His heart fluttered a little at the sight.

Sometimes, Yuuri wondered what his life would have been like had his family not fallen on the hard times that had pushed him into Viktor’s arms. Although he would never admit it, sometimes he almost felt selfishly grateful for their misfortune, much as he loved them dearly. Without it, he and Viktor would never have been brought together.

His family name had been highly respected but their funds had been low, far too low to prosper without a rich and respectable match to help boost their finances. As the younger of the two siblings, it had fallen to Yuuri to ensnare a suitable partner, while Mari inherited the estate. He had never begrudged her that, but it still hadn’t quelled his initial unease at the thought of marrying a stranger.

Despite knowing that he would soon have to marry, it had still come as a shock to Yuuri when his mother had announced that the Nikiforov’s had shown interest in joining their two families together. Despite their name not being as old as the Katsuki’s, their history in business meant that their funds far outstripped Yuuri’s own. The only heir to the Nikiforov fortune and estate was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in town and Yuuri was baffled at the sudden arrangement. Why the Nikiforov’s had chosen him as a match for their son, he would never understand.

There was no room for misgivings however, the deal made within the month. Yuuri had barely had time for more than a few conversations with his future husband before a ring was being slipped onto his finger and the vows were said and done. With his family provided for and his future secure, Yuuri had finally turned to learning more about the man he had now tied his life to.

Viktor had been nothing like he had ever expected. Bright and cheerful and completely at odds with the stringent expectations society put on someone of his station. Inviting Yuuri out riding, or walking, or skating on the lake at the borders of their estate when the winter chill froze it solid. Coaxing smiles and laughs out of Yuuri with every passing day until he felt completely at ease in Viktor’s presence. Leaving Yuuri with a chaste kiss on the hand at the door to their chambers on their wedding night, before disappearing off to a guest room to Yuuri’s great surprise and secret relief.

That was in the early days however. Now there was a great feeling of reluctance every time Yuuri watched Viktor leave him at the doors of their shared chambers and return to the guest room that he had been occupying ever since they had been married. Initially, Yuuri had been far too nervous about the prospect of an arranged match with a stranger to feel anything but relief when it became clear that Viktor expected nothing of him on their wedding night. But the more months had passed and the more he had gravitated to Viktor’s presence, like a moth to a brightly burning flame, the more he longed for his husband to stay.

As time wore on, wariness had gradually shifted to respect which had tipped so easily into affection as he and Viktor had grown closer. Familiarity and comfort grew with each passing day into what Yuuri knew now had finally become love. It might initially have been a match made for convenience, but Viktor had his heart now, just as he knew that he had Viktor’s.

“Thank you for accompanying me tonight,” Viktor told him when they reached the ornate doors of Yuuri’s room, stopping in the middle of the hallway. “I hope you don’t mind that I stole your company for every dance. The entire room was brimming with jealousy that they were denied their turn, but I couldn’t bare to miss a single dance with you.”

“You know that every one of my dances will always be yours, if you want them,” Yuuri replied, feeling warmth blossom in his chest at Viktor’s words, curling contentedly around his heart. “And I think it was I that they were jealous of, not you. I fear that half the young eligibles in town were heartbroken when they discovered you were no longer available and there are plenty that I’m sure would still like to steal you for a dance, should you ever give them a chance.”

“Then they will just have to live with the disappointment,” Viktor smiled at him, humour twinkling in his eyes. “There’s no-one I would rather dance with than you.”

For a few seconds they simply stood there, gazing at each other, faces close together. Then finally, Viktor broke away, a light flush on his cheeks as he stepped back and cleared his throat.

“I’ll let you retire now,” he said softly, motioning to the door of Yuuri’s room behind them. Bending down, he took Yuuri’s hand in his own and placed a soft kiss to the skin there. The light brush of lips over the back of his hand made Yuuri shiver, although the hallway was far from cold.

“Goodnight Yuuri,” Viktor whispered. There was something in his eyes, a heat burning there as his gaze flickered up to meet Yuuri’s own, before he stood up sharply and began to walk away.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Yuuri reached out, his hand catching onto Viktor’s shoulder and halting him in his tracks.  

“Viktor,” he began, before hesitating, not quite sure what to stay. Viktor had never shown any inclination to follow Yuuri into his chambers before but Yuuri had seen that same heat in his gaze many times, the way they drew towards each other and only broke apart at the very last minute, propriety and uncertainty pulling them away. But Viktor was his husband and if there was anyone that Yuuri was permitted to want, it was him. He had already given Viktor his heart a long time ago. Now he wanted to give more.

“What if…” Yuuri began, hesitating a little on the words. Pushing down his nervousness, he forced himself to continue. “What if a dance isn’t all that I wish to share with you tonight?”

He watched as Viktor swallowed at his words, throat bobbing visibly as he looked at Yuuri with a gaze so intense that Yuuri could almost feel its touch.

“You know that I am, and always will be, yours,” Viktor told him, voice low in the silence of the hallway. “In any way that you want me.”

“And if I ask you to stay with me tonight?” Yuuri asked, feeling the leaping of his pulse beating a frantic rhythm in his throat, although his voice remained steady.

“Then nothing on this earth could pry me from your side,” Viktor replied, taking a step closer so that their bodies were almost touching again, breath mingling together in the air between them.

Without another word, Yuuri reached out behind him and twisted the knob of the door to his rooms, allowing it to swing open. Stepping back inside he kept his eyes fixed on Viktor, watching as the other man followed him inside. There was an unspoken understanding in the air between them, a heat burning in both of their bloods that was making Yuuri feel almost dizzy with its intensity.

So much had been building up to this moment. So many linger touches and heated glances and words laden with things left unsaid. And finally they were here and Yuuri wanted more than he had ever wanted anything before in his life.

The door swung shut with a click behind them. Yuuri reached up a hand to Viktor face, threading his fingers through the back of Viktor’s hair and pulling him down to brush their lips lightly against each other.

The contact sent sparks running across Yuuri’s skin and he heard Viktor sigh happily into his mouth. Then Viktor’s hands were in his hair and he was kissing Yuuri back, pulling him closer until they were twined together without an inch of space between them.

Every one of Yuuri’s senses felt heighted as they kissed, registering every touch and sound and taste as he finally let all the desire he had been keeping locked away spill over in a torrent of emotion. Without breaking the kiss, he guided Viktor back towards the bed, fingers reaching up to tug at the laces of Viktor’s shirt as he did so. When Viktor’s knees finally hit the intricately carved wood of the bedframe he sat down, looking up at Yuuri in awe.

His hair was mussed where Yuuri’s fingers had ruined its carefully maintained style and his shirt was falling open where Yuuri’s greedy fingers had pulled it apart. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were locked with Yuuri’s own, love and desire mingling in his gaze. He looked beautiful, perfect and most importantly, Yuuri’s.  

“I’ve never…” he mumbled, still looking a little dazed as Yuuri joined him on the bed, fingers already working at the lacings of his own clothes.

“Neither have I,” Yuuri confessed, reaching out again to pull Viktor into another quick kiss. “But we’re married, are we not? We have plenty of time to learn.”

When Viktor kissed him again, Yuuri could almost taste his smile. Warm hands tangled in his hair again and soon all other thoughts were lost but the feeling of Viktor’s touch and the love in his heart that he knew would never fade.

 

* * *

 

** Roommates AU **

_Prompt 3 -  Things you said too quietly_

 

“Good morning Yuuri,” Viktor said cheerfully, coffee cup in hand and completely naked as he sauntered past.

Yuuri nearly choked on his own tongue at the sight, flailing for a minute and only just managing to retain his balance in the complicated yoga pose he was stretched into. Viktor looked none the wiser as he ambled through to the kitchen, his backside on full display. Yuuri watched him leave, then cursed himself for it as soon as Viktor was out of view.

His roommate’s tendency to prefer wandering around their shared apartment stark naked was currently the bane of Yuuri’s existence, and the reason he had to take cold showers almost every morning. Not that Viktor knew that of course. Yuuri had done his best to act calm and casual whenever Viktor showed up in anything less than full clothing, and he thought he had been doing pretty well at hiding his true reactions so far.

Sighing to himself, Yuuri twisted around to balance on his arms, stretching one leg into the air above his head as he continued his routine. Yoga in the mornings had been one of the few things he hadn’t been willing to give up when his new roommate had moved in, but Viktor had never seemed to mind his early morning workouts. In fact, he was practically the perfect roommate, if Yuuri discarded the fact that he was unfairly attractive and charming and his preference for wandering around in the nude did terrible things to Yuuri’s heart.

After a few more poses, Yuuri stood up, shaking the pleasant ache from exercising from his muscles and feeling his back crack as he did so. When he turned around, it was to see Viktor standing in the doorway watching him, a light flush on his face from the hot coffee his was holding to his mouth.

Yuuri kept his eyes firmly fixed on Viktor’s face, refusing to allow his gaze to wander lower and determined not to blush as he spoke with a practiced ease.

“I’ll be back late tonight,” he told Viktor as casually as he could. “Celestino wants me to work late so I’ll probably miss dinner.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you,” Viktor replied. “It’s my turn to cook after all. What kind of roommate would I be if I ate alone and left you to starve?”

“A normal one,” Yuuri pointed out with a wry smile. “Most roommates I’ve found on craigslist don’t make me dinner and let me take their dog out for walks, you realise that right?”

“What can I say, maybe I just want to be the best roommate that you’ve ever had?” Viktor grinned back.

“You already are,” Yuuri replied, before turning away quickly as he felt the blush begin to creep into his face at his own words.

“I’ll see you tonight Viktor,” he added quickly, before hurrying to his room before he said anything that he might regret.

When the door to his room finally closed, Yuuri slumped against it and sank down the wood with a sigh. He hadn’t been lying, ever since Phichit had moved back to Thailand, Viktor had been by far the best roommate he had been able to find. Which was why it was so important that Yuuri didn’t mess things up with him.

Their lease tied them together for another eight months at least, and Yuuri refused to make things awkward by letting Viktor know just how deep Yuuri’s affection for him actually ran. If Viktor didn’t feel the same, things would inevitably turn awkward and their easy friendship and casual closeness would be gone. And even if he did, getting involved roommates was always a terrible idea. If something went wrong, neither of them had the money to move out and they would be stuck together until their lease ran out, trapped in a state of painful awkwardness.

But even with that knowledge, Yuuri still couldn’t help but dream.

“I wish you were more than just my roommate, Viktor” he mumbled, knowing that his voice was far to quiet to carry through the thickness of the door.

 

* * *

 

Viktor sighed as he watched Yuuri’s retreating form, trying not to focus too hard on the way Yuuri’s workout clothes clung tightly to the curves of his figure. Yuuri’s tendency to practice yoga in their communal spaces was both a blessing and a curse. The first time Viktor had walked out of his room to see Yuuri bent in half, ridiculous flexibility on display, Viktor had walked straight into the coffee table.

Thankfully he had learned to control his reactions to Yuuri’s daily exercise routine slightly better by now. But nothing he did could control the excited leaping of his heart whenever he and Yuuri were in the same room together. The racing of his pulse whenever they spoke and the thrill of happiness that ran through him whenever Yuuri smiled. There was just something about Yuuri’s natural charm that drew him in and refused to let him go.

He had been gone on the other man from practically the minute he first stepped into the apartment and those feelings had only grown with every passing day.

“I wish I was more than just your roommate, Yuuri” Viktor sighed, far too quietly for Yuuri to hear.

Maybe someday…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more YOI and my writing <3


	10. Medical AU Parts 2, 3 and 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medical AU Parts 2, 3 and 4

** Medical AU Part 2 **

_Prompt - Viktor and Yuuri's first meeting in the medical AU_

 

Viktor yawned as he wandered through the corridors of the hospital, cursing nightshifts with every fibre of his being. The night had been a long one and he had been on his feet for hours, wanting nothing more than to get back to his apartment, collapse face first into his bed, and go to sleep.

To make matters worse, the coffee machine in the surgeon’s room had broken down earlier that week and Yakov had told them it would be at least another few days until it was fixed. With the exhaustion of the night gnawing at his bones, Viktor was pretty sure he wouldn’t even be able to make it home without at least a few shots of caffeine to tide him over.

Thankfully, Chris had reported that his friend Phichit down in the emergency department had offered to provide free coffee from their blessedly working machine, after taking pity on Chris’ misery. It was where Viktor was heading at the moment, the promise of coffee the only thing keeping him still on his feet.

Yawning widely, he pushed through the doubles doors into the emergency department, and immediately walked straight into someone else coming the other way. Papers went flying everywhere as the file the man had been holding slipped out of his grasp, scattering its contents all over the floor.

“I’m so sorry,” Viktor groaned, bending down to try and collect the sheets of paper that were now strewn everywhere. His half-asleep state had prevented him from seeing the other man before it was too late and he could already feel the flush of embarrassment rising in his cheeks.

The other doctor was kneeling on the floor too, scrabbling to pick up the scattered remains of the file. His face was tilted downwards, dark hair obscuring his features, but Viktor was sure that he had never seen him before. Granted, he hardly knew every doctor in this hospital but from the flustered way the man was acting, Viktor suspected that he might be new.

Between them, they managed to retrieve all of the scattered papers and finally Viktor stood up, holding the papers he had collected and looking at the man with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry about that,” he apologised again, watching as the other doctor stood up, his own stack of papers clutched tightly to his chest.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, before finally looking up at Viktor, showing his face for the first time.

Viktor froze. Deep brown eyes stared back at him, framed by thick black lashes. The man’s face was all soft curves and sharp angles, lips twitched up in a smile that had frozen at the same time that Viktor had. He was beautiful, and Viktor felt his heart jolt a little at the sight.

“Uh…” Viktor began, not quite sure what he was planning on saying but willing his brain to think of something.

The other doctor just stared at him, a dark pink flush spreading out from his cheeks over the bridge of his nose and up to the tips of his ears. His eyes were still fixed on Viktor’s face but after a few seconds of silence he coughed and looked away, face still red.

“You have my…uh…” he said awkwardly, motioning to the stack of papers that Viktor realised he was still clutching tightly in his hand.

Mentally kicking himself, Viktor offered the papers out, glancing down at them and groaning internally. Ending up tongue tied while clutching a stack of DNR orders in front of quite possibly the most beautiful man he had ever seen had not been how he had been intending ending his shift.

“Thanks,” the other doctor mumbled, cheeks still flushed pink as he took the stack of papers from Viktor, glancing quickly away and then back up at Viktor’s face again..

Under the man’s gaze, Viktor ran a hand through his hair, feeling self-conscious and wishing that he had thought to make himself more presentable before leaving the surgical wards. His hair was still sticking up in all directions from the unflattering surgical caps and he was all too aware of the dark circles under his eyes. Usually, he would have dived into his locker full of supplies to freshen up before going anywhere but his coffee deprived state had taken precedent over everything else, something he was now seriously regretting.

“I was just heading down to emergency to get a coffee,” he blurted out, hoping that the interaction wasn’t an entirely lost cause, despite everything that had just come before. “Do you want me to get you one too, as an apology?”

“Um, sure. Yes, I mean, I’d like that,” the other doctor replied, words tumbling over one another as he spoke. His expression was still a little flustered, but Viktor could see the beginnings of a smile on his face and he counted that as a win.

The man opened his mouth, as if to speak again, but the high-pitched beeping from his pager cut off whatever he was planning on saying. He glanced down and groaned at whatever he saw there, looking back up at Viktor with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry, I have to…” he explained, gesturing helplessly at the little device. Internally, Viktor cursed the world and its terrible timing, but he made sure to keep an easy smile still fixed on his face, waving the apology away.

“It’s fine,” he said lightly. “Maybe another time then? I still owe you that coffee after all.’

 _‘Please say yes, please say yes,’_  he prayed internally as he watched the man’s eyes widen slightly.

The pager beeped again, louder this time and the other doctor glared down at it as if it had personally offended him. The he looked back up at Viktor, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“I’d like that,” he replied, before ducking his head and turning away, hurrying off down the hall to the sound of his beeping pager.

“Wait!” Viktor called out after him, causing him to stumble a little and glance back over his shoulder to where Viktor was still standing.

“What’s your name?” Viktor asked, feeling a twist of happiness in his gut as he noticed the other man was still smiling.

“I’m Yuuri,” Yuuri said, a hint of pink still tinged across his cheeks

“I’m Viktor,” Viktor replied with a smile.

 

* * *

 

**Medical AU Part 3**

_Prompt - Viktor and Yuuri's coffee date in the medical AU_

 

Viktor stared at his lukewarm coffee, eyeing the few floating blobs of foam trying to masquerade as a cappuccino warily. Yuuri seemed to be fairing slightly better with his own black coffee, although Viktor was slightly impressed and slightly terrified at the speed at which he had knocked back the entire cup.

“Sorry,” Yuuri said, flushing a little as he set his now-empty cup back on the table. “I uh…had a really long shift.”

Viktor hummed his understanding and took another tentative sip of his own coffee, wincing a little at the taste. Objectively, the hospital café was not the most ideal place for a coffee date, but they had been out of options. After extensive texting over several days trying to co-ordinate their free time to actually meet up for a drink, finding enough time together to actually leave the hospital had proven futile.

For their second date, Viktor was determined to take Yuuri somewhere classier than the hospital café. A restaurant, or maybe the theatre.

That was assuming Yuuri agreed to a second date however. And since their first date was drinking terrible coffee in an overpriced café, Viktor thought mournfully, he wasn’t too hopeful.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t go somewhere nicer,” he apologised. Yuuri just waved the apology away, a small smile quirking at the corners of his lips.

“This is nice,” Yuuri assured him, glancing up at Viktor’s eyes before darting his gaze back to his coffee again, the small smile still playing on his lips.

Viktor couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to kiss them, but he buried that thought immediately. There was no use getting ahead of himself. He didn’t want to scare Yuuri off by being too forward before they had even really begun.

“The coffee could definitely be better at least,” Viktor joked instead, trying to distract himself from the way Yuuri’s tongue darted out for a fraction of a second to wet his lips.

Yuuri was still as handsome as the first time Viktor had run into him, quite literally. But after days of texting back and forth at every available opportunity, Viktor had begun to discover more about Yuuri that drew him in at every turn. He wanted to learn more, to see Yuuri again. To really get to know him, and be known in return.

“Well, it wasn’t the coffee I came here for after all,” Yuuri replied, glancing back up at Viktor again and holding the gaze. His words were pointed and Viktor felt a slight blush spread across his cheeks as he couldn’t help but grin at Yuuri’s statement.

Maybe there was still hope after all, terrible coffee or not.

 

* * *

 

**Medical AU Part 4**

_Prompt - Viktor and Yuuri's second date in the medical AU_

 

“Thank you for agreeing to come with me tonight,” Viktor said as he lead Yuuri to the front door of the restaurant. The building itself was intimidating, sweeping architecture and grand windows offering views into the lavish interior. Yuuri tugged at his shirt self-consciously, feeling extremely underdressed at the sight. When Viktor had offered to take him out to dinner for their second date, he had expected something slightly less fancy. Glancing at the glittering attire of the other customers through the window, Yuuri could only be thankful that he had at least thought to put on a tie.

One of the servers opened the door on their approach, ushering them both inside. Viktor looked completely at home surrounded by the restaurant’s luxury, handing his coat to the waiter with a smile and beckoning for Yuuri to follow him. Yuuri trailed behind, handing over his own jacket and hoping the waiter wouldn’t notice the hole that had worn through one of the pockets.

Yuuri wondered just how much paying for food that night was going to cost, then winced at the thought. Money probably wasn’t as much of an issue for Viktor, already gaining a reputation as one of the most prestigious neurosurgeons at the hospital, despite his age. On the other hand however, Yuuri was still sharing his box of an apartment with Phichit while being crushed under the weight of his student debt. The cost of his meal tonight was probably going to result in him eating nothing but noodles for the rest of the week.

“It’s a little nicer than the hospital café,” Viktor joked as they were escorted to their seats. “And I promise that the food is better too.”

“I don’t know, I quite like the food in the hospital café,” Yuuri quipped, trying to ease some of the tension that he was feeling. “Soggy lettuce and cold soup is just what I need after a long shift.”

Viktor just laughed at that, eyes sparking as they both sat down and Yuuri felt himself relax. The restaurant they were in might be fancy and Viktor might be unfairly attractive in his carefully tailored suit, but it was still just Viktor. It should be no different from drinking bitter coffees together in the hospital café while dressed in scrubs and laughing about their respective terrible days.

“So Yuuri, tell me more about yourself,” Viktor said once they were seated, leaning in with his eyes fixed on Yuuri and genuine interest on his face. “Now that we finally have a proper chance to talk without our pagers going off every few minutes.”

“Well, um, where do you want me to start?” Yuuri asked, a little too distracted by the blue of Viktor’s eyes that were still fixed on him to be able to think of a coherent answer.

“What made you want to study medicine?” Viktor offered as a start, fixing his hands underneath his chin and still looking at Yuuri in interest.

Viktor’s gaze never wavered as Yuuri launched into the story, interrupted only briefly by the waiter coming to take their orders. Viktor seemed genuinely intrigued by his answers, nodding and humming along to the story in all the right places and prompting Yuuri with questions when he began to run out of things to say. Yuuri’s story had only just concluded when their food finally arrived and he turned the questions onto Viktor instead, listening in interest to Viktor’s fond stories about his childhood and antics in med school. By the time the desert had arrived, Yuuri felt like he knew almost every detail about Viktor’s life and had given over all of his own in return.

Viktor had ordered them both wine that evening and Yuuri could feel the pleasant buzz of it running through his veins when they finally called for the check. Viktor’s cheeks were flushed a little too and his was smiling at Yuuri, face lit up softly from the golden glow of the lights around them. When Yuuri reached for the check, Viktor just shook his head, whisking it away from Yuuri before he could even see the total.

“Let me pay for tonight,” Viktor insisted as Yuuri opened his mouth to protest. “As an apology for out first date involving such terrible coffee.”

“I liked our first date!” Yuuri exclaimed but Viktor still refused to hand him the check, giving his credit card to the waiter and paying faster than Yuuri could insisted that he pay for his fair share.

“You can pay for our third date if you want to make it up to me,” Viktor responded with a wink, before hurrying to continue at Yuuri’s startled expression.

“Only if you want to of course,” he rushed to clarify, a red flush creeping into his cheeks. “You don’t have to go on another date with me if you don’t want to, it’s only because I thought this one went so well and…”

“Viktor,” Yuuri cut him off, recovering quickly from his moment of surprise and trying not to laugh at Viktor’s hurried rambling. “I’d love to go on another date with you.”

Yuuri could see Viktor let out a sigh of relief, the bright smile returning to his face in an instant.

“I’d love that too,” Viktor grinned as they both stood up, making their way to collect their coats from the waiter at the front door before stepping out into the cool of the night.

Viktor’s car was still parked outside the restaurant and Yuuri slid gratefully into the passenger seat, feeling relieved that he didn’t have to walk home on such a frigid night. Viktor sat down next to him, tugging the driver’s door closed before starting the engine and pulling out into the street.

“I had a really nice night tonight,” Viktor added as he began to navigate the busy streets towards Yuuri’s apartment. “And thank you for agreeing to come on another date with me. I know it’s not easy with our schedules, but I can’t wait to see you again.”

“Me too.” Yuuri agreed.

He looked over to Viktor and saw the smile dancing on his lips, illuminated by the passing streetlamps as they continued to drive. After that they lapsed into a comfortable silence, only ending when Viktor finally pulled up outside Yuuri’s apartment building.

They exited the car together, Viktor falling into step beside Yuuri as he walked him up to the front door. Yuuri couldn’t help but glance at Viktor as he did so, his gaze drawn to Viktor’s lips. A part of him that had begun to coil with desire wondered if Viktor was planning on kissing him, but Viktor made no move to do so. Instead he remained the perfect gentleman until Yuuri was standing outside the door to his building, keys in hand.

“Goodnight Yuuri,” Viktor said softly. Briefly, his eyes flickered down to Yuuri’s lips but he glanced away in a fraction of a second before quickly turning and beginning to walk away.

“Wait!” Yuuri blurted out and Viktor stopped, expression curious. Before he could second guess himself, Yuuri reached out to pull Viktor back to him, pressing his mouth softly to Viktor’s in just the barest hint of a kiss. When he pulled away again he could feel the heat in his cheeks but Viktor’s expression had lit up at the kiss.

Viktor’s hands reached around to twine around his waist and he pulled Yuuri closer, leaning down to kiss him again. This time the kiss was different, Yuuri melting into the touch and opening his mouth to allow Viktor entrance. Viktor deepened this kiss, allowing Yuuri to wrap his arms around Viktor’s shoulders and pull him even closer. It was a few minutes before they broke apart again, this time both panting slightly.

Viktor was looking a little dazed, cheeks flushed as he gazed at Yuuri.

“Goodnight Viktor,” Yuuri murmured, still holding Viktor close. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it,” Viktor breathed out. When Yuuri took a step back, he let go reluctantly, allowing Yuuri open the front door with a click.

Yuuri could still feel Viktor watching him as he took a step into his apartment building. Turning around with an awkward little half-wave, he watched as Viktor smiled back in response, cheeks still flushed and expression pleased.

When the front door finally closed, Yuuri sunk down the wood to rest on the floor, grinning to himself. Bringing his hand up he brushed his fingers over his lips, remembering the feeling of Viktor’s lingering kiss.

From a few floors above him, he heard the sound of an opening door and a familiar voice echoing down the stairwell.

“Yuuri!” Phichit yelled, loud enough to wake up at least half their neighbours. “I saw you making out with Viktor Nikiforov on our front step and I need details right now!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more of my writing and prompts <3


	11. Medical AU Parts 5 & 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the rating change as this chapter contains explicit content

** Medical AU Part 5 **

_Prompt - Medical AU - Viktor and Yuuri's first time (part 1)_

 

“So, are you going to sleep with him?” Phichit asked, as soon Yuuri had finished recounting how his evening with Viktor had gone.

Yuuri choked on air, glaring at Phichit reproachfully.

 _“Phichit,”_  he hissed but Phichit just shrugged, looking amused.

“It’s the three date rule Yuuri,” he grinned as Yuuri spluttered for words. “You got to know each other on your first date. You kissed him on your second. So your third date is the perfect time to climb him like a tree.”

It took a lot for Yuuri to keep his face straight at the mental images that Phichit’s words brought. It wasn’t that it was something that he hadn’t considered before. Instead, it was something that he had thought about. A lot. And every time he did, it sent heat to his cheeks and desire pooling in his gut.

“You do want to sleep with him, don’t you? Phichit asked when Yuuri didn’t respond.

“Of course I do,” Yuuri admitted, still fighting to keep his face impassive. His attraction to Viktor had been building ever since he had first met the other man and during the kiss they had shared it had burned brightly in his chest, filling his body with heat and want.  

“Good.” Phichit looked pleased at Yuuri’s reply, a mischievous smile flitting across his face. “Because I saw you two kissing outside and Viktor’s face was definitely one of a man ready to jump you at any second. You’ve been flirting for weeks now. Put the poor man out of his misery Yuuri.”

“I’m not going to  _plan_  for sex,” Yuuri groaned, shooting his friend an exasperated look. “I’m not expecting anything from him. We’ll just go on another date and…see how things go from there.”

“Hey,” Phichit held his hands up in surrender, still grinning. “All I’m saying is that if you need me to be conveniently out of the apartment the next time you two go on a date, just let me know.”

“Fine,” Yuuri rolled his eyes but still shot his friend a fond smile. “If Viktor stays over, I’ll let you know.”

Yuuri knew that there was no need to rush, wanting to let what he and Viktor had between them grow naturally. But he could already feel himself falling for the other man and he wanted him, just as he could tell from the look in Viktor’s eyes and the heat of their kiss that Viktor wanted him too. It was a desire that grew every day and Yuuri was sure that it wouldn’t be long before that desire was fulfilled.

 

* * *

 

Yuuri had assumed that sleeping with Viktor would be easy.

It was not.

 

* * *

 

It went like this.

Their third date was perfect, half a day spent sitting in a quaint little café near Viktor’s apartment and talking for hours over a variety of interestingly flavoured drinks. After talking until his throat was hoarse, Yuuri considered asking if Viktor would like to come home with him, to continue their conversation there. Among other things. But, before he knew it, the hours had flown by and he was due in for an evening shift at the hospital. They parted with fond goodbyes and a chaste kiss and he spent the next several hours remembering the feeling of Viktor’s mouth pressed against his own and fantasising about just where else he would like to see those lips.

For their fourth date, they went to the theatre. Yuuri’s mouth went instantly dry at the sight of Viktor in his impeccably fitted suit and he struggled to pay attention to anything that happen on stage with Viktor’s hand resting lightly on top of his own throughout the performance. They sipped wine during the interval and discussed the wonders of the staging and costumes and Yuuri fell a little more in love with Viktor at every word. During the taxi ride home, Viktor pulled Yuuri into his lap and they kissed until they were both breathless and giggling like teenagers at the thought of being caught. Yuuri considered inviting Viktor back up to his room when they finally pull up outside his apartment, but the hour was late and they both had early shifts the next morning. Better to wait for a more opportune moment, he had thought.

It was during their fifth date that Yuuri began to think that the universe might just be working against him.

They had finally managed to align one of their rare days off and had both spent that time to their full advantage. Viktor had dragged him all over the city and Yuuri had followed willingly, Makkachin bounding happily by their sides. They had spent hours in each other’s company, talking and laughing together with their fingers intertwined. By the time the sun finally began to sink below the horizon, Yuuri found himself walking through the local dog park with Viktor, fingers sticky from late night ice cream and throwing sticks for a still energetic Makkachin. One particularly good throw had sent her bounding over the hill and far away and Viktor had taken advantage of the dog-free movement to steal a kiss, pressing Yuuri into the bark of the nearest tree and stealing his breath away.

The perfect moment was interrupted however by a shrill shriek from somewhere nearby, startling them both. When Yuuri looked around, it was to see a distraught woman kneeling over a man lying on the ground a few meters away, unmoving. Her desperate cries for a help had sent them both sprinting over to help, switching into their professional modes with ease. By the time the ambulance finally arrived they were both satisfied that they had done their duty, but the mood was well and truly ruined. Yuuri couldn’t think of anything less sexy than inviting Viktor back to his apartment with the saliva of the man he had just been giving rescue breaths to smeared all over his lips.

 

* * *

 

Their sixth date was when Yuuri became sure that there was some higher power at work, and that it didn’t want he and Viktor to get laid.

It started with a text

Both of them texted back and fourth whenever they could, Viktor’s endless stream of dog pictures and flirty messages never failing to brighten up Yuuri’s day. Several days after the park incident, his phone had chimed with a new text from Viktor. When Yuuri had looked down at the message, his heart had summersaulted in his chest.

 _‘Do you want to come to mine for dinner tomorrow?’_  Viktor had written, accompanied by a cheery smiley face.  _‘You could stay over as well if you like?’_

Yuuri’s immediate response was caught somewhere between  _‘hell yes’_  and  _‘I’ve been fantasising about you every night and I want you so badly we can skip dinner you can just do me on the table’_  but his heart had plummeted a few seconds later with a sudden realisation.

 _‘I can’t,’_  he texted back, cursing whatever power was out there that seemed insistent on ruining his love life.  _‘Minako put me on nightshifts this week. I’ll be busy every evening.’_

 _‘I’m on dayshifts,’_  came the immediate response, accompanied by a crying emoji that reflected exactly how Yuuri was feeling.  _‘We’ll hardly get to see each other all week.’_

Viktor predication was unfortunately accurate. The most Yuuri saw of his boyfriend for days was quick kisses of hello and goodbye as they passed each other as the shifts changed. They kept in contact with a flurry of texts, which were the only thing keeping Yuuri going as he dealt with drunk person after drunk person stumbling into the emergency department at two in the morning. But actual quality time to spend with his boyfriend was thin on the ground.

When the weekend finally rolled around, and Yuuri’s day off with it, Yuuri was determined. He invited Viktor over to his house for dinner that evening, ignoring the lingering tiredness of switching from nightshift back to a day schedule again. He cleaned his entire apartment, cooked his mother’s special katsudon that she ensured him would ensnare the heart of any man (it had worked on his father after all), thrown Phichit out for the evening and sat back in satisfaction that everything would be perfect. Viktor had arrived and they had eaten together, the noises Viktor had made upon tasting the katsudon not appropriate for public places. After that, they had curled up on the sofa together to watch a film, Yuuri feeling warm and content pressed to Viktor’s chest.

It would take nothing to lean up and press a soft kiss to Viktor’s lips. A kiss that would rapidly grow heated, as it had many times before. A kiss that could easily lead to something more, as it almost had so many times. All Yuuri needed to do was initiate it and he had planned to, just as soon as the gentle buzzing of the tv and the warmth of Viktor’s arms stopped making him feel quite so light-headed…

Yuuri had woken up the next day in his own bed, fully clothed and cursing nightshifts and the inevitable tiredness that they brought in the days that followed. There was a clear indent in the sofa that indicated just where Viktor had spent the night, but the apartment itself was empty. On his kitchen table, Viktor had left Yuuri breakfast, a handwritten note wedged under the glass of orange juice.

 _‘I’ve had to leave for work kotyenok,’_  the note had said in Viktor’s familiar, looping handwriting.  _‘I didn’t want to wake you up because you looked so tired last night. I’ve left you breakfast and I hope you’ve slept well, my sleeping beauty.’_

The warmth in Yuuri’s chest at the note did nothing to stop him banging his head on the table in frustration at his life.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t get much better from there.

 

* * *

 

“A medical conference,” Yuuri groaned down the phone, closing his eyes in despair. “How long will you be away.”

“I’m sorry kotyenok, but Yakov insisted,” Viktor replied, sounding just as regretful as Yuuri. “I know we had plans for this week but even I can’t get out of this one.”

 

* * *

 

“What do you mean you’re sick?” Viktor asked in disbelief as Yuuri sneezed mournfully in front of him. “What happened?”

“One of the flu patients sneezed all over me and apparently, this year’s flu vaccine doesn’t cover this particular strain,” Yuuri croaked, trying his best to keep Viktor at arm’s length to avoid infecting him too.  

 

* * *

 

“I’m so sorry kotyenok but the surgery overran,” Viktor pleaded down the phone, sounding devastated. “I know I missed our date but there was nothing that I could do.”

“I know,” Yuuri sighed, washing up the dishes of the dinner date that had turned into a meal for one as he balanced his phone between his shoulder and his ear. “It’s not your fault. You can just come over tomorrow instead.”

 

* * *

 

“Oh, hi you two,” Phichit said cheerfully as he walked through the door, looking unfazed at the sight of Yuuri straddling a shirtless Viktor on the sofa. Chris followed behind him, sniggering at the sight.

“Sorry, did we interrupt something?”

 

* * *

 

Finally, the universe seemed to agree give them a break.

“You’re sure you’re not on shift today?” Yuuri asked warily, as he and Viktor were curled up on the sofa together, enjoying the rare moment of peace.

“No,” Viktor sighed in relief, holding Yuuri a little tighter as he spoke. “No shifts, no overrunning surgery, no surprise medical conferences or emergency calls.”

“We might finally have an uninterrupted day then,” Yuuri sighed in content, leaning up towards Viktor to steal a kiss.

After a few seconds, Viktor deepened the kiss, twisting them both so that they were facing each other and burying his hands in Yuuri’s hair. Yuuri could almost taste the desperation on his lips and he kissed back hungrily, revelling in the feeling. He ran his hands over the curve of Viktor’s shoulders, teasing at the edge of his shirt and he could feel Viktor’s breath quicken in response.

“I want you so badly,” Viktor groaned, mouthing the words against Yuuri’s lips. “I have since you first kissed me.”

“We should make up for lost time then,” Yuuri breathed, before kissing Viktor again.

They barely made it to the bedroom.

Viktor’s shirt was left discarded over the arm of the sofa and Yuuri’s was well on the way to being removed by the time they finally stumbled into Viktor’s bedroom and collapsed down on the bed. Viktor was looking up at Yuuri with eyes blown wide with desire as Yuuri straddled him, pressing Viktor back into the mattress as they continued to kiss. Months of pent up desire were finally finding their release and Yuuri felt consumed by the feeling of Viktor, his every touch fuelling the flame.

“Do you have any…” Yuuri made a vague motion to indicate his meaning, wanting to return to kissing as soon as possible. Seeing Viktor lying on the bed under him was far too intoxicating and he was sure that any form of coherent thought wouldn’t last much longer.

“In the bedside drawer,” Viktor confirmed, before sliding out from under Yuuri with a final kiss and crawling across the bed to rummage around in said drawer.

Yuuri waited. Viktor continued to look, movements growing slightly more hurried with each passing second.

After a few minutes of searching, Yuuri could see the expression on Viktor’s face drop.

“Don’t tell me…” Yuuri groaned. Viktor just put his head in his hands, looking defeated.

“In my defence, it’s been a while,” he mumbled, a blush spreading across his cheeks and down over his chest in embarrassment. “I forgot to stock up.”

“We work in a hospital!” Yuuri exclaimed, his voice wavering somewhere between exasperation and laughter. “There’s medical grade lubricant in practically every ward. We walk past the STD clinic on our way out every day and there are condoms everywhere. Could you have, I don’t know, picked up a few free samples?”

“I forgot,” Viktor groaned, looking up at Yuuri with embarrassment clear on his face. “With the past few months we’ve been having, it’s a miracle we even made it this far.”

Yuuri just laughed, feeling his exasperation melt into fondness as he crawled across the bed and pulled Viktor in for another kiss.

“Here’s what I’m planning to do,” he told Viktor, trying to make his voice as low and sultry as possible while suppressing the rest of his laughter at the ridiculous situation. In one swift movement he pushed Viktor back onto the bed and crawled on top of him again, watching as Viktor’s eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. Yuuri leaned in, pressing another kiss to Viktor’s mouth before trailing a line across his jaw, determined not to let another thing ruin what had been a long time coming.

“There are much better uses we can put our mouths to than talking,” he murmured and heard Viktor let out a little moan of desire beneath him, fingers tightening on Yuuri’s skin. “And then once we’re finished, I’m going to go to the nearest shop, buy the biggest pack of condoms and lube that I can find, and then neither of us are leaving this bed for the rest of the day. Sound good?”

Viktor just nodded, words seeming to desert him altogether. Yuuri could see the line of his neck bob as he swallowed heavily, gazing up at Yuuri with pupils blown wide and a reverent expression, like he was something to be worshiped.

“Good,” Yuuri grinned, then returned to kissing Viktor again.

 

* * *

 

**Medical AU Part 6**

_Prompt - Medical AU - Viktor and Yuuri's first time (part 2)_

 

Kissing Viktor never failed to take Yuuri’s breath away.

Every touch sent spikes of heat burning through his body, every movement of their mouths stealing the air from his lungs. When Viktor tugged lightly on Yuuri’s lips with his teeth, just the right amount of pain mingling with the pleasure, Yuuri couldn’t help but moan.

They discarded the rest of their clothes rapidly, tossing them away and paying no attention to where they fell. Yuuri had already seen Viktor shirtless before but that didn’t stop him from marvelling at the smooth hardness of his chest, unblemished skin begging to be marked. Running his hands across Viktor’s skin, Yuuri felt Viktor shudder beneath him, rocking into Yuuri’s touch.

Yuuri was still straddling Viktor and, without the layer of clothes between them, Viktor’s hardness was much more obvious, pressing against him. Yuuri rocked down, grinning at the choked off moan that the action drew from Viktor’s throat. Viktor’s hands flew up to grasp at Yuuri’s hips as he rocked forward again, digging bruises into the skin.

Yuuri continued to move, feeling the slid of Viktor beneath him and watching as pleasure spread across Viktor’s face. Each roll of his hips drew out another sound of desire from Viktor’s lips and it did nothing to quell the heat in Yuuri’s own chest.

“You’re going to kill me Yuuri,” Viktor gasped, fingers still gripping Yuuri for dear life. “How are you so perfect?”

“I could ask the same to you,” Yuuri pointed out, leaning down with a smile and capturing Viktor’s lips in another deep kiss. He ground down again on Viktor as he did so, feeling the slid of Viktor’s cock between his cheeks and feeling as Viktor tensed under him, breath hitching.

“This is going to be over very soon if you don’t stop teasing me,” Viktor warned him, tone playful but still laden with desire.

Yuuri just grinned, continuing to move as he began to trail kisses along the line of Viktor’s neck, sucking marks into the skin there. The new bout of teasing had Viktor tensing under him and then, before Yuuri had time to blink, the world was spinning around him. Viktor’s hands were still secure on his hips as Yuuri’s back hit the bed, Viktor now looming over him with a mischievous smile flitting across his face.

“You said before that we could put our mouths to much better use than talking,” Viktor teased as he reached down to kiss Yuuri again, taking advantage of their now reversed positions. “I’d hate to disappoint you by finishing before we get to the best part.”

With that, Viktor began to trail his kisses lower, mouthing along the line of Yuuri’s jaw and down to the hollow of his throat, before moving to his chest. The sight of Viktor worshiping his body had Yuuri bucking his hips up, seeking friction. Viktor just held him down gently, continuing his torturous path down Yuuri’s chest. His teeth grazed one of Yuuri’s nipples and Yuuri let out an involuntary whine, fingers tangling in Viktor’s hair instinctively. Yuuri was sure that he must be pulling to the point of pain as Viktor continued to tease him, but Viktor let out a pleased groan as Yuuri tugged at the silver strands, clearly enjoying the treatment.

When Viktor dipped his head lower, Yuuri already felt like he was ready to burst. Heat was rushing through his veins, driving out every thought that wasn’t of Viktor and the way he felt pressed against Yuuri’s skin. Viktor’s warm breath danced over Yuuri’s cock as he settled himself between Yuuri’s thighs and Yuuri could barely hold back his noise of desperation at the feeling.

Viktor didn’t keep him waiting long however, reaching up to slide a hand over Yuuri’s cock, smearing the precum that had been gathering at the tip along his length. This time, Yuuri couldn’t hold back his moan and Viktor’s eyes flickered up to his at the sound, looking pleased. Viktor began to set a pace with his hand and Yuuri rocked up into the touch, digging his heels into the bed as he allowed the sensations to roll over him.

Viktor’s breath ghosted over his cock again but this time it was rapidly followed by Viktor’s lips, taking Yuuri into his mouth and moaning like it was him that was getting the most pleasure from the action. It took everything in Yuuri to stop himself from thrusting up into Viktor’s mouth, gripping the sheets in a white knuckled grip to keep himself grounded as Viktor took him fully into his mouth.

Yuuri was usually renown for him stamina but the mere sight of Viktor kneeling between his legs, lips stretched around Yuuri’s cock, was almost too much. Yuuri could feel the heat coiling in his gut embarrassingly quickly as Viktor continued to work, varying the speed and pressure until Yuuri was almost sobbing into the sheets from how perfect it felt.

Eventually, he could hold out no longer.

“Viktor,” he gasped out, tugging lightly on Viktor’s hair to try and give the other man some warning. “Viktor, I need…I’m going to…”

Viktor just made a pleased noise, taking Yuuri even deeper into his mouth and Yuuri finally gave in, allowing his release to rush through him. Every muscle in his body strung tight before relaxing as he slumped bonelessly back into the bed.

It took several seconds for Yuuri to catch his breath, feeling as if all the air had just been sucked from the world. Pleasure was still surging through his body, mingling with contentment as he came down from the high. When he looked down, Viktor was still kneeling between his legs, looking more pleased than Yuuri had ever seen him as he gazed up at Yuuri’s face.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Yuuri murmured, watching as Viktor swallowed and feeling another spike of desire run through his already spent body. Reaching down he pulled Viktor up to him, coaxing Viktor to hover over him again.

“But I wanted to,” Viktor said softly, smiling back down at Yuuri again and still looking perfectly content.

After Viktor’s skilful ministrations, Yuuri was feeling wrung out and pleasantly exhausted but he refused to let himself relax yet. Until Viktor found his pleasure too, Yuuri wouldn’t be content.

“It’s my turn now,” he told Viktor, trying to sound as seductive as he could with all the breath still punched out of him.

He pulled Viktor closer to him and reached down, expecting to find Viktor’s hard cock waiting for him. When his hand met nothing but cooling stickiness however he startled, looking up at Viktor in surprise.

Viktor blushed a dark red, looking sheepish.

“In my defence, you are unfairly beautiful,” he coughed, embarrassment clear in his voice. “And the noises you make are enough to undo anyone.”

Yuuri could feel a blush creeping up his own cheeks too, along with a prideful feeling of pleasure at seeing the clear evidence of just how much of an effect he had had on Viktor. Viktor slumped down next to him, wrapping an arm around Yuuri’s waist and pulling him close. Both of them were still breathing heavily as they curled up together.

“Well, that was well worth the wait,” Viktor said lightly into the silence and Yuuri huffed out a laugh, pulling Viktor into another quick kiss to show his agreement. After what had happened, he still wasn’t sure he’d be able to form words just yet.

“I hope you were serious about not leaving this bed today,” Viktor added, holding Yuuri tighter as an adoring smiling flitted across his lips. “Because now that I’ve had a taste of you, I never want to stop.”

Yuuri reached out, pulling Viktor into another, deeper kiss. While Viktor was distracted, he rolled them both over so that he was straddling Viktor again, looking down into his lover’s widened eyes.

“Believe me,” Yuuri grinned, relishing the sight of Viktor so perfectly wrecked beneath him. “I was.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come follow me on [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more of my writing and YOI prompts <3


	12. Espionage/Assassin AU Parts 7 & 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Espionage/Assassin AU Parts 7 & 8

**Espionage/Assassin AU Part 7**

_Prompt 57 - Things You Said When No-one Else Was Around_

 

When Yuuri finally pried his eyes back open again, the first thing that he saw was the harsh white light of a hospital ceiling.

A monitor somewhere beside him began to beep a frantic rhythm as he groaned, trying to sit up and then wincing when the movement sent a stab of pain through his ribs. Weakly, he lifted his arm to his face to try and block out the glare of the bright lights above him. The movement tugged at his hand, unexpectedly painful, and when he looked down it was to see a assortment of tubes and wires covering his body, tethering him to the equipment at his bedside.

“Don’t try and move,” a voice murmured from beside him. “You’ll only hurt yourself.”

Yuuri startled, whipping his head around at the sound of the familiar voice.

Viktor was sitting on a chair at his bedside, hunched over and watching Yuuri intently. His normally well-kept hair was hanging limply around his face in greasy clumps and there were dark circles standing out prominently under his eyes. He looked terrible and Yuuri couldn’t help the small noise of shock that he made at the sight.

The shock was rapidly replaced by fear however, the memory of the recent few days hitting him like a punch to the face and making him recoil from the sight.

The memory of the hours from when he had been captured to when he had woken were blurry, filled with nothing but the sensation of pain and the feeling of fear. Yuuri had to assume that if he was lying in a hospital bed rather than dead on the floor of that accursed warehouse, then he must have been rescued at least. The room he was lying in was familiar, one of the private rooms in the hospital used for the agents who were injured on missions.

But Viktor was sitting next to him, staring at Yuuri with his painfully familiar, piercingly blue eyes. Viktor, who Yuuri had been in love with for months now. Viktor, who had lied to him all that time. Viktor, who was under orders to kill him.

“Are you here to kill me?” Yuuri croaked out, voice hoarse.

“No!” Viktor gasped at Yuuri’s question, looking horrified. “No Yuuri, I promise that’s not what I’m here for. I tried to save you. I wanted to protect you, I promise.”

“They hired you to kill me,” Yuuri insisted, feeling his heartbeat pick up at the mere memory and hearing it reflected in the beeping of the monitors behind me. “To find out everything that I knew and then get rid of me. I know, I heard you on the phone.”

Viktor glanced away at that, eyes full of shame. His hands twisted in his lap, jerking slightly as if he wanted to reach out to Yuuri but restrained himself at the last minute.

“They did,” Viktor admitted, voice quite and laced with sadness. “When I met you, you were my target. I lied to you Yuuri and I’m so, so sorry. But what you heard on the phone, that was a lie. I was lying to them, I never intended to go through with it. I was planning to protect you, to get you far away where they could never touch you. But I wasn’t fast enough.”

“Why,” Yuuri asked, the rasp in his voice on the question not entirely to do with the pain in his throat. “Why did you change your mind.”

“Because I fell in love with you,” Viktor admitted, voice still small.

Yuuri wanted to deny it. To scream at Viktor that it had all been a lie and there was no use keeping up such a pointless façade anymore. But the heart-breaking honesty in Viktor’s voice halted the words in his throat.

Instead, he turned to another one of the most pressing questions that were filling his mind, not willing to acknowledge Viktor’s response just yet.

“How are you here?” he asked Viktor, instead of responding to the new revelation. “I recognise this place. This is the agency hospital. How did you get in?”

“I’m the best assassin in the world,” Viktor replied and the bitterness was clear in his voice, all of it directed inwards. “There’s nowhere that can keep me out for long.”

He paused for a minute, biting his lip, and then continued.

“I was the one that found you,” Viktor admitted, hands balling themselves into fists. “I got there first, but your agents were close behind. I wanted to help you, I tried to protect you but one of them pulled a gun on me and I was out of options. I knew that if I stayed, they would never let me see you again. They’d likely have just shot me and be done with it. And I needed to know that you were safe, more than anything. So I ran. I followed you here and I broke in when no-one was watching. They think this place is secure, but the security was nothing to me. I put the cameras in this room on loop and turned the recording devices off. No-one knows that I’m here. Just you.”

Yuuri considered Viktor for a moment, thinking. He had loved Viktor once, with every fibre of his being, the feeling all-consuming and perfect. And then everything had come crashing down around him and yet he had loved Viktor still. He still did. Part of him thought that maybe he always would.

But that didn’t change what Viktor was, what Yuuri was, or the endless chasm of difference that stretched between their two lives. How could love possibly be enough?

“What would you do if I screamed right now?” Yuuri asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to avoid confronting the reality of their impossible situation. “If I brought all the security guards running in here to find you?”

“I would stay,” Viktor told him bluntly, with no hint of a lie in his voice. “I would let them take me away and I wouldn’t regret it. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. If you want me to leave, I’ll leave. If you want me to stay, I’ll stay. It’s the only thing that I can do to make amends for what I’ve done to you.”

“You would let them arrest you?” Yuuri asked, bewildered, and Viktor nodded.

“For you, I would,” Viktor told him. He reached out and this time Yuuri didn’t flinch back, too caught up with the new revelation to move. “My life is in your hands now.”

Yuuri lay frozen for a few seconds, processing the information. Less than a day ago he had assumed that Viktor wanted him dead, that he meant nothing to the other man. A few days before that, he had loved Viktor more than life itself. Now Viktor was here, offering Yuuri a choice.

Viktor hand settled lightly on top of Yuuri’s own, caressing his fingers with heart-breaking tenderness. The look in Viktor’s eyes had the breath halting in Yuuri’s chest, an aching sadness that did nothing to hide the love that was clear on Viktor’s face.

“You changed everything,” Viktor told him, voice low as he gazed into Yuuri’s eyes. “The longer I spent with you, the more I desperately wanted to be the man you thought I was. I can’t go back to the way I was before. Not after you. So make your choice Yuuri, and I’ll honour whatever decision you make.”

The seconds ticked on as Viktor continued to watch him, waiting for the verdict.

Yuuri stared back at him. Every memory they had ever shared passed before his mind in a blur of colour and sound, happiness and heartbreak. Whatever he chose now would affect the rest of his life, that he knew. Whether Viktor was on the run or locked in a cell for the rest of his days, he would never leave Yuuri’s mind, not really. After Viktor, he could never be the same.

Yuuri made his decision.

 

* * *

 

** Espionage Assassin AU Part 8 **

_Prompt 27 - things you said on the phone at 4 am_

 

 

_Six Years Later..._

 

It was the shrill buzzing of Yuuri’s phone that dragged him into wakefulness, the room pitch black but for the light of his phone screen and the sky outside the window still dark. Blearily he sat up, rubbing his eyes and fumbling for the device lying on the bedside table next to him.

“Yuuri!” came the excited voice as soon as Yuuri answered the call. Yuuri was awake instantly, all thoughts of sleep forgotten.

“Viktor!” he exclaimed, feeling excitement flood through him. “I thought you weren’t going to be able to contact me for another week at least.”

“Surprise,” Viktor replied and Yuuri could hear the grin in his voice on the words. “The mission finished early so I’m already back in the country. I called you as soon as I got back to HQ.”

Yuuri could feel the smile break out across his face, even if Viktor couldn’t see it. It had been several months since he had last seen his boyfriend, all communication forbidden whenever Viktor went out on a mission. Yuuri had tried persuading the higher ups at the Agency to assign him as Viktor’s handler, to allow at least some contact between them in the harrowing months when Viktor was working in the field, but time and again they had refused. They could be together but they couldn’t work together, the risk of emotional compromise too high. It was part of the agreement the Agency had made with Viktor when he had so unexpectedly switched sides, so many years ago.

Back then, the first few months after Viktor’s true identity had been uncovered had been by far the worst. Yuuri had still been hospitalized, deprived of any information but what he had been able to find out through Phichit. Viktor had been gone, spirited away by the Agency, albeit of his own free will and through Yuuri’s careful planning.

When Viktor had first put his life in Yuuri’s hands that day by Yuuri’s bedside, Yuuri had known what he had to do. He hadn’t been able to bear the thought of Viktor imprisoned for the rest of his life, not when his love for the other man still clung to him throughout everything. But nor would his conscience have been able to allow Viktor to simply leave and return to his previous life, not with the blood that could end up on both of their hands if he did.

Instead, they had come to an agreement. Yuuri was a senior handler in the Agency and highly respected, he held sway that few else did. And Viktor was a valuable source of information and skills, with connections in the underworld that their own agents could only dream of. Yuuri had called his superiors and a deal had been struck. Then he had been forced to sit and watch as Viktor was escorted out of his hospital room in handcuffs, not that they would truly be able to hold the other man if he had any desire to escape.

After that, it had been three years until Yuuri had been allowed to see Viktor again. Three long, torturous years.

After he had been released from the hospital after the first few months, Yuuri had at least been allowed update reports on Viktor’s progress. But contact between them was still banned, with Viktor under the highest suspicion and security as a defected enemy agent.

It had been three years until Viktor had been cleared and released as an asset to the Agency rather than an enemy. Three years that Viktor refused to talk about and Yuuri tried to forget. But after that, they had finally been allowed to see each other again.

And now they were here. Three years after Viktor had been declared safe and they had been reunited. The Agency would never fully trust Viktor, both of them knew that. Even with an impeccable track record working for them and more successful missions completed than any other agent, he was still closely watched and kept on a tight leash, his handlers and team-mates hyper alert for any sign of betrayal. But Yuuri knew that Viktor never would.

Everything that Viktor had endured to switch sides, he had endured for Yuuri. And Yuuri had waited for him for years, on the slimmest hope that when Viktor was finally released, they might be able to try again and start anew. Fall again the way they should have the first time and build a life not based on a lie.

And they had.

“I’ll be home in a few hours,” Viktor told him, startling Yuuri out of his memories. “I can’t wait to see you again. I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Yuuri agreed, clutching the phone a little tighter as he spoke.

When Viktor went undercover on missions, the only contact he had was with his handler. It was standard procedure at the Agency and one that Yuuri was very familiar with. Whenever he directed his own team through missions, as their handler it was his voice alone that they heard from their real lives for months. But knowing the procedure didn’t make the separation from Viktor any easier, nor the reunion any less of a relief.

“I love you.”

Viktor’s voice came through the phone again, soft and affectionate in all the ways that made Yuuri’s heart warm.

“I love you too,” he told Viktor, sincerity in every word.

They had both been through so much and they both bore the scars from it. But the past was the past and the future was what Yuuri cared about now. The future where Viktor would walk through the door in just a few hours and throw himself into Yuuri’s arms. The future where they could curl up in bed and drift of to sleep wrapped in each other’s embrace.

The future where they were happy.

 

**The End**


	13. Arranged Marriage AU Parts 2-8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arranged Marriage AU Parts 2-8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were several requests on tumblr to see more of the Arranged Marriage AU from chapter 9, so here is a collection of ficlets set in that universe. In the timeline of this AU, these ficlets begin before Viktor and Yuuri get married (before the original ficlet takes place)and continue on slightly after it.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 2**

_Prompt - Viktor's POV and how the marriage came to be_

 

“You don’t understand,” Viktor sighed, slumping lifelessly onto one of the many ornate chairs in the Giacometti drawing room as he lamented his misfortune. “He was like an angel Chris. A beauty sent from heaven above. I’ll never forget the touch of his hand or the way we danced. It felt like he breathed new life into me with every step. Even the memory of his smile brings…”

“I think that’s quite enough of that,” Chris cut him off, setting a glass of wine down in front of Viktor, none too gently. “You are one of my dearest friends Viktor but if you force me to hear one more word about the night Lord Katsuki swept you off your feet, I fear I will never recover.”

“That is exactly what I mean,” Viktor exclaimed, shooting his friend a look of betrayal. “You don’t understand the agony of being cast aside after such a perfect night Chris.”

“As far as my recollection goes, your perfect night began with Lord Katsuki drinking several bottles of my finest wine and ended with you helping him hide from the other guests while he threw up in my rosebushes,” Chris replied, one eyebrow raised sceptically. “Truly the height of romance I’m sure.”

“Well yes,” Viktor agreed, albeit reluctantly. “But it was much more than that. I’ve never felt such a connection to another person in my life. I could have talked to him for hours and danced the night away.”

“Why have you not called on him then?” Chris asked, still looking sceptical. “If you two are so well matched then he should be delighted to see you again.”

Viktor sighed again, running his hand through his hair and tugging on his lower lip with his teeth.

“You know that it would be improper,” he muttered, eyes averted. “My family may have great means but his is far above me in terms of station. I must wait for him to call on me, which so far, he has not.”

“Your family name may not be as well regarded as his but your fortune far outstrips his own,” Chris pointed out. “Many consider you to be the most eligible bachelor in town. And yet here you are, pining away in my drawing room.”

“You give me no credit,” Viktor replied, taking a long swing of the glass in front of him. “I’m first intending to drink you out of your finest wine, and then I will set about pining away.”

 

* * *

 

“Viktor,” Viktor’s mother called to him as soon as he set foot back in his own home, cheeks flushed from the wine. “Your father and I have something that we wish to speak to you about.”

Viktor made his way carefully through the house to join the two of them where they were sitting, expressions serious as they regarded him closely.

“The Katsuki’s have recently made it clear that they are looking for a suitable match for their youngest son,” Viktor’s mother told him without preamble. Viktor felt himself stiffen at the words.

“Yuu…I mean, Lord Katsuki is engaged?” he asked, forcing himself to keep his voice level.

“Not yet,” Viktor’s father chipped in, face unreadable. “But while the Katsuki’s may no longer have much to their name, their name itself is a prize in its own. There will be no shortage of suitors as soon as word gets around.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Viktor asked, feeling his stomach sink at the prospect. Yuuri was beautiful and charming soon to be married, suddenly and painfully out of his reach.

“It’s common knowledge that the Katsuki’s have fallen on hard times in recent years,” Viktor’s mother explained. “They are a proud family and will not make this publicly known. But it is clear to all that they require their son to marry for money, to sustain the family finance. He has no need to marry for status or a good name, possessing those himself. It is a partner of means that he seeks, not one of a higher rank.”

“Mother, are you implying…” Viktor began but his mother cut him off with a small smile.

“We know you have a certain fondness for the Katsuki’s son,” she told him, a twinkle gleaming in her eye. “And while our business has taken us far, attaching yourself to the Katsuki name will open up sections of society that have so far been closed to us.”

“We offered you for consideration as soon as we heard the news,” Viktor’s father continued, looking pleased. “ And the Katsuki’s agreed that it would be a mutually beneficial match. You two will meet first of course, for formality’s sake. But unless either of you objects, you will be married within the month.”

Viktor just stared at his parents, mind going blank.  

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 3**

_Prompt - the first time that Yuuri thought Viktor might love him (then immediately dismissed the idea)_

 

Yuuri sat in the drawing room, fingers twisting nervously in his lap as he waited for the arrival of his soon-to be fiancé.

It had all been so sudden and the reality of the situation was still yet to hit him. Not yet a fortnight ago had his parents come to him, explaining the dire situation of their family finances their need for him to marry. Yuuri had agreed without hesitation. The Katsuki family mingled with the highest branches of society but, after the tragedy that had taken most of their land with it, Yuuri had seen the strain in his father’s eyes and the worried look on his mother’s face as they pored over their financial ledgers. A good name was not enough to feed or clothe a family, no matter how much any of them wished it otherwise.

So it had fallen to Yuuri to find a good match, a person of wealth and means. As the second child, he had always known that marrying for gain was a possibility. He had no estate to inherit after all. That was promised to Mari, the first born, and he didn’t begrudge her for it. But secretly, he had always hoped that he would marry for love.

It was a dream he was willing to let go of however, if it meant providing for his family. And so he had agreed to whatever match they thought suitable and tried not to think too hard about what types might present themselves as his potential future partner.

Never in a hundred lifetimes would he have believed however, that the Nikiforov family would offer their son. When Yuuri’s mother had told him the news, just days after they had begun to search for potential suitors, Yuuri had scarce been able to believe it.

Yuuri’s parents had agreed instantly to the offer, knowing that the Nikiforov’s son was by far the best match that Yuuri could possibly hope to make. The Nikiforovs might be relatively new money, and occasionally scorned by the highest end of society because of it, but their wealth far outstripped even many nobility. With their trade in business, banking and foreign goods, they had significant influence in every aspect of society. Any would be lucky to match with a member of the family, and all the wealth that came with it.

More than that however, it was not merely wealth that made the prospect of marrying one of the Nikiforov line so tempting for many. The Nikiforov’s only child, Viktor, was beloved by all. Beautiful and charming, he had captured many hearts when he had first made his debut in society and had continued to break them ever since with his continued refusal of any and all proposals of marriage. He was easily considered the most eligible bachelor in town and his dance card was never empty at the lavish balls hosted at his family home.

And now he was going to marry Yuuri.

It still seemed incomprehensible to Yuuri, why the Nikiforovs had chosen him. Mari had assured him that it made perfect sense. His own family name was one of nobility, and of much higher rank than the Nikiforov’s own. Marrying into the Katsuki line would allow Viktor, and by extension his family, into aspects of higher society that could only be accessed by blood status or marriage.

Yuuri wasn’t so sure. Viktor was young and beautiful and had the pick of any unmarried person in the city, and probably several married ones as well. In fact, from the way he had observed Viktor’s charm from afar, he wouldn’t be surprised if Viktor was able to ensnare a prince if he truly set his mind to it. And yet still, he had agreed to settle for Yuuri.

It was likely due to pressure from his parents, Yuuri knew that logically. It was unlikely that he was the type of partner that Viktor would select of his own free will. And yet, even that knowledge didn’t quell the flutter in Yuuri’s chest at the thought of his future husband.

He had admired Viktor from afar for years, through balls and galas and every event that he was forced to attend by nature of his birth. Viktor had a way of capturing every eye in the room, Yuuri’s along with it, and since he had first seen Viktor during his own societal debut, Yuuri had never looked away.

Yuuri was startled out of his musings by the sound of a sharp knocking echoing through the house. The noise of the front door creaking open reached his ears and he tensed, knowing exactly who the callers must be.

After a few seconds, the sound of Yuuri’s parents meeting their new guests floated through the house. Yuuri felt himself tensing further as the voices began to grow nearer, the sound of the guests approaching growing louder and louder in his ears. Finally, the door of the drawing room creaked open and he leapt to his feet as his mother bustled through, fixing his hands behind his back so as not to show just how much they were shaking.

Behind Yuuri’s mother came the Nikiforovs, each of them looking easily glamourous while sporting the latest fashions as they glided into the room. Yuuri allowed his eyes to linger on Viktor for a moment, just as stunning as Yuuri remembered, before Viktor’s eye caught his own and Yuuri glanced away again. Yuuri’s father followed the guests into the room, ushering them to their seats.

Yuuri dropped into a bow, allowing his etiquette training to take over.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he directed at Viktor and his parents, hoping his moment of hesitation when they had stepped through the door hadn’t been noticed.

The Nikiforovs returned the greeting, their tones respectful as they addressed both Yuuri and his parents. Both of Viktor’s parents took up the offered seats but Viktor stepped forward, coming to stand directly in front of Yuuri.

“The pleasure is all mine,” he told Yuuri, voice low. There was the hint of a smile on Viktor’s face as he took Yuuri’s palm in his own, bending down to brush his lips lightly across the back of Yuuri’s hand.

Yuuri felt his breath hitch as Viktor’s lips caressed his skin, the touch feeling strangely intimate. There was nothing strictly improper with Viktor’s actions, but it had still been rather forward and his lips definitely lingered on Yuuri’s hand far longer than was needed.

After a few long seconds, Viktor let go, retreating to sit next to his family.

After that, the majority of the discussions were between Viktor’s parents and Yuuri’s own. Although it was he and Viktor that were to be married, it was their families that would be joined and, as such, it was only proper that the heads of those families were the ones to make most of the arrangements.

Yuuri only spoke when spoken to, answering Viktor’s parents’ questions honestly and hoping that they wouldn’t come to regret offering their son to him. Viktor did the same to Yuuri’s own parents, his answers intelligent and charming and Yuuri could see that his parents were instantly won over.

Neither he nor Viktor had a chance to speak alone however. Nor would they, etiquette dictating that they must always be chaperoned until they were married. It made another surge of nerves surge through Yuuri’s gut. He had admired Viktor for years but there would be so little time to actually get to know his husband to be until there were bound together for life.

At least he could reassure himself that Viktor was a good match, far better than he had been expecting. Not only would his considerable wealth be able to provide for Yuuri’s family but everything Yuuri had seen of Viktor pointed towards him being a good person. Even if Viktor had been coerced into marrying him and their match would never be one of love, no matter what Yuuri’s heart secretly wished for, they could at least have a civil and mutually beneficial relationship.

When Yuuri and Viktor’s parents finally finished conversing, both parties satisfied with the terms of the marriage contract to be drawn up, the Nikiforovs stood. Viktor made his way over to Yuuri again, taking Yuuri’s hand in his own again.

“I am honoured that you have agreed to accept my hand,” Viktor told him, voice perfectly sincere. “And I truly look forward to getting to know you further, Lord Katsuki.”

“You may call me Yuuri,” Yuuri blurted out without thinking. It seemed so out of place for his future spouse to refer to him in such formal terms. At his words, Viktor’s face broke out in a smile.

“Yuuri then,” he smiled, before pressing a light kiss of farewell to the back of Yuuri’s hand and turning to follow his parents out of the room. Yuuri’s father escorted them to the door but his mother remained in the drawing room with Yuuri, beaming at him.

“We couldn’t have hoped for a better match for you,” she said, practically bouncing as she spoke. “The young Mr Nikiforov seems utterly smitten with you. His eyes barely left you all afternoon.”

“Mother!” Yuuri exclaimed, feeling slightly scandalised. “I’m sure that is not true.”

Yuuri’s mother just continued to smile at him, face tinged pink with pleasure. Yuuri looked away, embarrassed.

It was true that Viktor had seemed pleased with him when they had spoken. But that was likely due to the swiftness with which the contract had been agreed and the benefits he would gain from the marriage.

After all, what could possibly possess a man like Viktor Nikiforov to be smitten with him?

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 4**

_Prompt - A chaperoned date_

 

“I barely know him and we’re already exchanging engagement rings,” Yuuri hissed to Mari as they stepped out of the carriage in front of the Nikiforov estate. “What am I supposed to say to him?”

“I don’t know,” Mari shot back. “He’s promised to be your husband, not mine.”

As they spoke, their parents exited the carriage behind them, looking up in admiration at the sweeping expanse of the estate before them. The Nikiforov estate was the largest of any nearby, the luxurious house bordered by the elegant gardens and a sparkling blue lake. The balls held there were the talk of the town but Yuuri rarely ever attended, his dislike of the constant inquiring into his eligibility by the members of high society encouraging him to stay away.

But now he was here at last. Here to meet his husband-to-be in one of the few moments they would have together before they were officially married at the month’s end.

Yuuri and his family made their way up the front path, the door of the house swinging open before them. The servant at the door ushered them inside and a richly dressed butler met them in the entranceway. He guided the small party through the luxurious interior of the house until they reached the drawing room. There he left them with a bow, allowing Yuuri’s family to enter.

The Nikiforovs were waiting for them, impeccably dressed as always. Yuuri’s mouth went a little dry at the sight of Viktor, fine fabrics covering his body and a smile on his face as he watched Yuuri enter the room.

Once the formal introductions were complete, the two families sat down opposite each other, leaving Viktor and Yuuri stranded together in the middle of the room.

“Yuuri, the ring,” his mother prompted after a few seconds of silence and he startled, fumbling in his pocket for the velvet box he had stored there.

The exchanging of the engagement rings was an important part of any marriage, but especially an arranged match like his and Viktor’s. It marked one of the few occasions the couple were expected to meet each other before their inevitable wedding day, and making a good impression was paramount. Tradition stated that they only need exchange rings and finalise the marriage contract, but Yuuri hoped to steal a few seconds alone with Viktor after the deed was done. He wanted to spend some time with his future husband, to get to know him before they were bound together for life.

Yuuri’s fumbling fingers finally found the small velvet box and he pulled it from his pocket, flipping it open for Viktor to see. Viktor’s eyes widened at the sight of the ring and Yuuri felt a faint sense of satisfaction at the sight. His family might have fallen on hard times in more recent years, but they still had many precious family heirlooms that they refused to sell. The ring was one of them, the glittering blue sapphire in the centre the exact shade of Viktor’s eyes. It was why Yuuri had picked it out, instantly drawn to the colour. It was unnecessarily extravagant for his tastes, but society would expect nothing but the finest and a plain engagement ring would be sneered at by everyone of significance.

“It’s beautiful,” Viktor breathed, taking the box with great care and closing it gently. Then he reached into his own pocket and drew out a similar box, offering it to Yuuri.

The ring inside was stunning, encrusted with a multitude of diamonds that sparkled under the light. It must have cost a fortune but, Yuuri remembered, a fortune was exactly what Viktor had. It was the perfect kind of ring to demonstrate a prosperous match but when Yuuri took the box, it felt like lead in his hand. It was so impersonal, the ring, the meeting, all of it. As a child, he had fantasised about love, finding his perfect match and cherishing them forever. Not marrying for wealth with an ostentatious ring to prove it. Nothing like what he would have chosen, had the choice been his own.

When he brought the box closer to his face however, something within the band of the ring caught his eye. Curious, he examined it closer, seeing for the first time a fine engraving on the metal of the ring itself. Viktor must have seen his interest because he hurried to explain.

“The engraving is a snowflake,” he explained, watching Yuuri’s expression with a look of hope on his face. “Each one is beautiful and unique, just like you. And it is common knowledge that you prefer the winter months and can be often found skating on frozen lakes when the ice is thick enough. It seemed appropriate, to make the ring yours. I hope I didn’t overstep my bounds.”

“Not at all,” Yuuri replied on instinct, feeling warmth bloom in his chest at Viktor’s words. It was a small gesture but perfect all the same. Even if Viktor’s words were all charm, the gesture itself showed his regard for Yuuri. Something personal, something done just for him. Maybe they weren’t marrying for love, but Yuuri could feel hope blossoming within him that more than just convenience could one day exist between them.

“Now that the rings have been exchanged, if Lord and Lady Katsuki wish to accompany us to the study we can finalise the terms of the marriage contract.” Viktor father said, breaking the moment.

“Mari will be a suitable chaperone while we are gone,” Yuuri’s mother agreed, rising gracefully and encouraging his father up with her. Together they followed the Nikiforovs through a door to the next room, to finalise his and Viktor’s fate.

Viktor was still smiling at Yuuri once they had left, expression warm. It was the first moment of semi-privacy that they had had together and the first chance they would get to converse for real.

If only Mari wasn’t there. Yuuri had never understood the need to chaperone unmarried couples. An arranged match like he and Viktor were unlikely to become so overcome with passion that they would ruin their reputations before the wedding day. And yet society rules insisted that he and Viktor be granted not a moment truly alone before they were wed.

When he turned to look at Mari, she merely rolled her eyes.

“I have no desire to chaperone either of you,” she said bluntly. “You can deflower each other in this room for all I care, as long as I don’t have to witness it.”

A choking noise came from behind Yuuri and when he turned, Viktor’s face was bright red. He stared at Mari, looking scandalised. She merely shrugged, seemingly unbothered, and stood.

“Our parents will be occupied for hours,” she pointed out. “I am going to take a walk around the gardens to enjoy the fresh air and I’ll be back long before they return.”

With that, she exited the room, leaving a stunned Viktor in her wake.

“I apologise for my sister,” Yuuri said quickly, hoping that Viktor hadn’t taken offense at her bluntness. “She has a rather great distain for the etiquette of society.”

Viktor cheeks were still tinged with red but he composed himself quickly, flashing Yuuri a reassuring smile.

“I have no trouble being left alone as long as you don’t,” he told Yuuri, gesturing to the nearest seat. They sat down together, far enough apart so as not to be touching but close enough that Yuuri could almost feel the warmth radiating from Viktor’s body.

It had been exactly what he had been wanting, a moment along with his future husband. And yet now that it had come, Yuuri found that he had no idea what to say.

“I hope that this is not too forward of me,” Viktor began, breaking the silence between them and leaning in a little closer. “But I would like to know more about you Yuuri, before we are married. Please, tell me about yourself. Up until now, we have had so little time to get to know each other.”

“What would you like to know,” Yuuri asked, feeling slightly distracted under the intensity of Viktor’s gaze.

“Please, tell me everything,” Viktor replied, expression interested and gaze focused solely on Yuuri as he waited for him to begin

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 5**

_Prompt - The wedding day and the first time they danced_

 

 

The first thing that Yuuri had noticed was that there were far too many people at the wedding.

Everyone of any significance was there of course. When two families so renown as the Katsukis and the Nikiforovs joined through marriage, anyone with a notable name or a large purse jostled for a spot at the wedding. The intricate politics of the upper parts of society never failed to give Yuuri a headache, but even he knew that it would have been social suicide to exclude any important names from the guest list.

But even with that knowledge in mind, he hadn’t been able to help but panic at the sea of expectant faces staring back at him when he emerged for the ceremony. He could barely name even half the people who had been invited and had spoken personally to even less. If it had been his choice alone, he would have invited his family and handful of his closest friends and be done with it. The added pressure of hundreds of near strangers was far from what he had needed on the already stressful day.

He had been so focused on not making a fool of himself in front of the multitude of guests that he barely even registered the ceremony. Viktor had looked stunning in his wedding clothes but Yuuri had barely noticed. The eyes of the guests seated in rows behind them had bored holes into the back of his head the entire time and he didn’t register a single word that was spoken. It was only when Viktor had begun to recite his vows that Yuuri had finally been able to shake himself out of the haze long enough to reciprocate.

Even when the ceremony itself was over, there was no relief. He and Viktor were forced to stand and accept the congratulations of the guests for what felt like hours, each one as insincere as the last. The only saving grace was Viktor himself, easily accepting compliments and guiding the conversations quickly along, allowing both of them to slip out of many of the unwanted encounters.

They had been forbidden to see each other in the run up to the wedding and there was no time to talk as the day dragged on. It was only when night began to fall and the dancing began that they were able to steal a single moment of semi-privacy. With other couples spinning around them on the ballroom floor, they were finally able to lose themselves in the crowd as they danced.

It was the first time that he and Viktor had danced but when they moved together, it felt like they had been doing it their whole lives. Both of them kept time perfectly, moving around each other with a fluid grace that had all of Yuuri’s previous worries melting away. There was a sense of familiarity when he danced with Viktor. Something about it just felt right.

“You look beautiful tonight,” Viktor murmured to him as they spun across the floor, the music obscuring the words from any prying ears. “A vision.”

“You do to,” Yuuri replied, fumbling for the words under the intensity of Viktor’s gaze. Viktor had always been far too free with his compliments to Yuuri. At first, Yuuri had suspected that it was all charm and nothing more, lavishing Yuuri with praise simply to get on the good side of his future husband. But the more that he came to know Viktor, the more Yuuri had come to see the sincerity in the words. Viktor meant every one, and each compliment never failed to make Yuuri’s cheeks heat in a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure.

“It still feels slightly unreal, that we are now married,” Viktor said again after a few more seconds of dancing. He glanced down, eyes flickering to the ring on his own hand before back up to Yuuri again.

“I must admit, I feel the same,” Yuuri agreed. Their engagement had moved so fast that he felt like he had barely had time to catch his breath before a ring was being slipped onto his finger.

Although, it could have been far worse. Yuuri had seen the kind of partners that could come from an arranged match and he shuddered at the thought. Two people so incompatible that they could barely stand to be in the same room together, forced into a commitment that would last the rest of their lives.

In contrast, he and Viktor were startlingly well matched. Despite the limited time they had been permitted to spend together before the wedding, what little time they had been able to steal had been filled with engaging conversation. Viktor was easy to talk to and Yuuri found that their tastes and opinions aligned on many subjects. There was little lingering awkwardness over their situation and he had quickly come to feel at ease in Viktor’s presence. It might not have been a match borne from love but they were quickly becoming fast friends, far more than Yuuri had first expected.

“I hope that you are happy Yuuri,” Viktor added unexpectedly. When Yuuri looked at him, startled, there was genuine concern on Viktor’s face. “I know this is perhaps not the way you would have chosen to be wed and we have had so little time together until now. But I swear, I will do my utmost to be a good husband to you. I hope that we can find happiness together.”

“I hope the same,” Yuuri replied, allowing himself to smile a little as they continued to spin together. “And I promise you that I will do my best to be a good husband also.”

He glanced away for a second, unsure whether what he wished to say next was too forward. But Viktor was looking at him with contentment written clearly across his face and so he continued.

“I know that our match was arranged and that my parents chose you because you were suitable, just as your parents chose me for the same reasons. But I have grown very fond of you Viktor. We are well suited to each other and if it had to be anyone, I am very glad it was you.”

A smile broke across Viktor’s face like the rising of the sun, lighting up his features.

“I would never want anyone else,” he told Yuuri as they continued to dance.

 

* * *

 

It was many hours later when the party finally began to wind down. Many of the guests were red-faced, either from the dancing or the wine that had been flowing all evening. They trickled out of the Nikiforov estate in small groups, carriages drawing them away into the night until finally, only Yuuri and Viktor were left. Finally alone.

Whatever ease Yuuri had been feeling evaporated as soon as they saw the last guest out of the door. He knew logically what was expected on a wedding night when the couple were finally left in peace, but he had conveniently been able to block the thought from his mind up until that moment. He had grown to enjoy Viktor’s company greatly but they were still barely more than strangers, only a few meetings between them. Not nearly enough to dull the nerves of what was expected of them next.

Those nerves only mounted as Viktor led him up the grand staircase and towards what he expected must be the master bedroom. Viktor seemed unfazed, steps confident and sure. When they reached the door he opened it for Yuuri, revealing the room beyond.

A luxurious bed sat in the centre of the room, covered in thick blankets and surrounded by the finest of drapes. Yuuri could feel his throat grow dry at the sight. Taking a deep breath, he forced his face into a neutral expression, determined not to let any of his nerves show. It was likely that Viktor was feeling a similar way and Yuuri refused to be a disappointment to him.

When he turned around however, Viktor had made no move to join him in the room. Instead, he was still waiting outside the door. When he saw Yuuri turn he dipped his head, a small smile on his lips.

“I hope that it’s suitable for your needs,” he said, still making no move to join Yuuri.

“It is,” Yuuri replied hesitantly, still unsure just what Viktor was thinking. There was a long pause, the moment seeming to stretch out into forever.

“I will bid you goodnight then,” Viktor replied finally, shooting Yuuri one last smile before turning to walk away. He made it several paces before Yuuri’s brain finally registered just what it was that Viktor meant.

“Do you not…” he blurted out, confusion flooding through him. When Viktor turned to look at him again, expression curious, he forced himself to continue.

“Do you not…wish to join me,” he asked, tugging on his lip with his teeth, still feeling entirely wrong footed.

“Very much so,” Viktor replied and his voice was soft, with no expectation behind it. “But I don’t make a habit of joining people in their beds unless I am invited.”

With that, he walked away, leaving Yuuri staring after him, with no idea what to think.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

** Arranged Marriage AU Part 6 **

_Prompt - the morning after the wedding_

 

As soon as Viktor awoke the morning after his wedding, his nerves returned in full force.

Part of his still couldn’t quite believe that he and Yuuri were actually married. The process had been such a whirlwind, from their first magical night together at the Giacometti ball, to their parents arrangement, to the wedding itself. And now a new day had dawned, his first as a married man.

Viktor dressed quickly and headed downstairs, the first light of dawn just beginning to spill through the windows. When he passed by the door of the master bedroom he paused, listening for any signs of movement, but there were none to be heard. Yuuri must still be asleep, exhausted after the previous day’s events.

The sight of the closed door brought back all of Viktor’s memories from the night before. In particular, Yuuri’s surprised expression when Viktor didn’t join him in the bedroom still lingered in his mind. He hoped that he hadn’t offended Yuuri in any way, but he didn’t regret his decision. Yuuri had yet to bring up the night he swept Viktor off his feet in a whirlwind of dancing and Viktor was unsure where Yuuri’s feelings for him truly lay. He knew his own heart and the fondness it held but for Yuuri, their marriage could be one purely of convenience. Viktor had no desire to join Yuuri in his bed if he felt obligated as a husband, not because he truly desired Viktor there. If Yuuri wanted him, Viktor would come when he called. And if he did not, Viktor would be content for them to simply be friends, no matter if he secretly wished for more.

Breaking himself out of his thoughts, Viktor moved away from the bedroom and down the main staircase. When he finally reached the entrance hall, Makkachin bounded up to meet him in a flurry of excited barks. Reaching down, Viktor rubbed behind the dog’s ears affectionately before opening the front door and allowing Makkachin outside. Many had often commented that it was beneath Viktor to take his dog out on his morning exercise instead of leaving it to one of the stable boys, but Viktor insisted. Makkachin had been with him since they were both young and their early morning walks together always helped calm Viktor’s mind.

For several hours, he roamed around the edges of his estate as the sun rose behind him. Makkachin bounded along by his side, barking happily. The air was brisk and cold and snow lay thick on the ground but Viktor was unbothered by the chill. It was only when the sun was fully risen in the sky that he began to make his way back, not wanting to neglect his new husband on their first day together. He was an early riser but it was likely that Yuuri would now be beginning to awaken.

When Viktor finally returned to the house, he was met instantly with the alluring smell of freshly cooked food. Following the scent lead him to the dining room, where one of the servants was just beginning to set out the dishes of food on the table. Sitting at one of the chairs was Yuuri, looking radiant in the morning sun.

He glanced up as Viktor entered the room and immediately leapt up from the table, nearly knocking over the dishes in the process. One of his hands came up nervously to fidget with the hem of one his sleeves and Viktor noted with pleasure that Yuuri was wearing one of the outfits that Viktor had commissioned specially for him.

“Good morning,” Yuuri blurted out, then hesitated, as if unsure what to say next.

“Good morning,” Viktor replied, trying to keep his voice casual despite his roiling emotions inside. There was so much that he wanted to say but, despite being married, he and Yuuri were still almost strangers to each other. It was hard to know where to begin.

“May I join you?” he asked as a start, indicating to the table and the food laid out across it.

“Of course,” Yuuri replied, sitting back down with a relieved look on his face.

Pulling out a chair, Viktor sat down opposite, smiling as he looked over Yuuri again with an appreciative eye.

“I see that you approve of the clothes I had made for you,” he offered, hoping to begin the conversation on a light note. In preparation for Yuuri’s arrival, he had commissioned Yuuri’s preferred tailor to make a wardrobe’s worth of clothes to fill his new husband’s room. While Yuuri never looked anything less than stunning, the Katsuki’s financial issues were clear in his clothes, several seasons out of style. Viktor wanted nothing more than to please Yuuri and providing for him had seemed like a good place to start. 

Yuuri blushed at the words, glancing down and back up to Viktor again, fingers still playing nervously with his sleeves.

“They’re beautiful,” he admitted, a pleased note in his voice even as he continued to fidget. “But Viktor, they are far too much. I have clothes of my own and I shudder to think how much you must have spent on ones as fine as these.”

“Please Yuuri, accept them for me,” Viktor insisted. “I am lucky enough to have you as my husband as it is. Please indulge me in my gifts so I may please you and attempt to show your fellows that I am a worthwhile match.”

Yuuri’s expression turned confused at his statement, but Viktor couldn’t think why. It was clear that out of the two of them, he was the one who would have to prove that he was worth of Yuuri. There were many in the upper branches of society that would kill to have married into the prestigious Katsuki name, as he now had. There were many more who had fallen for Yuuri’s quiet charms over the years who would have taken Yuuri even if he had been a commoner without a penny to his name. But it was Viktor who now had his hand and many looked upon him with jealousy. 

In addition, no matter how wealthy Viktor’s family were, their history in trading would always be looked down upon to those who had been born into their money. There was no great history behind the Nikiforov name, unlike the Katsuki’s. There would always be those who looked at his marriage to Yuuri as Yuuri marrying far beneath himself and the thought always made Viktor’s heart drop. Draping Yuuri in fine fabrics and jewels and lavishing him with presents might at least show those of Yuuri’s own station that marrying Viktor was not an unwise decision.

“If it pleases you, then I will wear them every day,” Yuuri said. His expression was still slightly confused but there was warmth in his voice that had Viktor’s heart soaring.

After that, their conversation as they ate remained plesant. Viktor inquired into Yuuri’s night and was pleased to hear that he was content with his lodgings. Yuuri in turn asked him about his morning stroll with Makkachin, looking eager, and Viktor filled him in on the details. Yuuri’s own dog Vicchan was yet to be moved from his family home to their new estate and Yuuri confessed that he missed him terribly. Viktor promised that they would take their morning walks together as soon as Vicchan arrived if Yuuri so wished and Yuuri was quick to agree.

After their meal was over, they temporarily parted ways, both having duties to attend to for the morning. When Viktor finally finished the last of his most pressing tasks however, he sought Yuuri out again. His husband was nowhere to be found in the house but when Viktor stepped outside, Yuuri was standing in one of the gardens, bundled up in a coat to protect himself from the chill.

It had started snowing again at some point during the day and the snow clung to Yuuri’s hair and drifted through the air around him in a swirl of white. It made the him look almost ethereal, like something painted by one of the great masters. When Yuuri turned, the snow was clinging to his eyelashes too and melting on his hands. His fingers were buried in the sleeves of his coat, twisting the engagement ring that Viktor had gifted him absentmindedly, the tiny snowflake engraved on the inside hidden from sight.

When he saw Viktor, Yuuri smiled, seeming far more relaxed than he had that morning.

“I was at a loss as to what to do once I had finished writing to my family,” he explained as Viktor approached. “So I came out here to enjoy the snow. I confess, I have very little knowledge of what being a husband is supposed to entail and how we are expected to fill our days.”

“I am afraid I have the same lack of knowledge,” Viktor reassured him. “But we have plenty of time to learn together. And in the meantime, there seems to be no pressing matters at hand to be dealt with. There are many pleasant ways that we can spend the afternoon, if you wish.”

“What do you have in mind?” Yuuri asked, looking curious.

“Well,” Viktor smiled, holding out a hand in offering. “The lake that borders our estate is frozen solid and your love of the ice is common knowledge. We could skate, if it would please you?”

Yuuri’s nod was instantaneous.

“I would like that very much,” he replied, and Viktor’s heart soared.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 7**

_Prompt - the first kiss_

 

The thing that surprised Yuuri most about his marriage to Viktor was how natural it all felt.

It had only been a few months since he and Viktor had first said their vows, and yet now it was as if they had known each other a lifetime. The initial awkwardness of their first few days together faded quickly. In it’s place, a closeness had blossomed between them that Yuuri treasured.

Each day he came to know Viktor a little better and each day his life was a little brighter for it. Viktor full of light and laughter, an enthusiasm radiating from him that was infectious to all around him. Yuuri was no exception. It took no time at all before his nervousness at spending time with his new husband morphed into an eagerness to awake every morning in order to spend the day together.

What had once been a mutual respect had morphed easily into friendship as the days past. And what had once been friendship grew gradually into something more as the weeks wore on.

It was something that Yuuri grew more aware of every day. Initially, he had taken Viktor’s strings of compliments and lingering touches to merely be flattery. But the more well versed in his husband’s mannerisms he became, the more Yuuri understood the truth behind Viktor’s actions. There was a heat in his husband’s gaze when he looked at Yuuri. A want that Yuuri had come to recognise and felt the draw of in return. A tangle of emotion and attraction that he wasn’t quite sure he could call love just yet but that was certainly and rapidly becoming so. A desire to be with Viktor always, and a joy that that wish was already granted.

“Yuuri!”

Viktor’s voice broke Yuuri out of his thoughts and he snapped back to the present, blinking rapidly.

“What were you thinking about?” Viktor asked, fingers twined with Yuuri’s own as they walked together. At their feet, Makkachin and Vicchan bounded, chasing each other playfully as they ambled around the estate.

“You,” Yuuri replied absentmindedly, before flushing once he fully registered exactly what it was that he had said.

Viktor beamed, hand gripping Yuuri’s a little tighter as they continued to stroll together.

“What about me?” Viktor grinned, clearly noticing Yuuri’s blush.

“That you are insufferably nosy and I may yet come to regret ever agreeing to marry you,” Yuuri shot back, allowing the familiar teasing tone to slip into his voice. It was a common part of their light-hearted conversations, but it also served to conceal the truth.

His feelings for Viktor ran far deeper than he had ever anticipated. And he was sure that Viktor felt a similar way. It was clear in his eyes and in his voice whenever he looked at Yuuri with such affection. But neither of them had acted on those feelings, beyond light teasing and gazes that lingered far too long.

“I’m afraid you’re stuck with me my love,” Viktor shot back, laughter clear in his eyes. “Unless you wish to become a young widower.”

“Never,” Yuuri assured him, a smile dancing on his lips. “I have unfortunately grown far too fond of you for that.”

Viktor opened his mouth to joke again but before he could, a large drop of water landed on his head, sliding down a silver strand of his hair to drip onto the ground. Less than a second later, Yuuri felt the familiar cold splash of rain on his own head. His cast his eyes skyward and sure enough, the clouds had turned a familiar, foreboding grey.

Viktor whistled Makkachin and Vicchan to heel and they both turned to make their way back to the main house. Neither of them had made it more than a few steps however before the heavens opened up, rain cascading down around them.

The rain was icy cold and Yuuri cursed internally at their decision to take a stroll despite the darkening weather. Together they hurried back to the house, determined to get out of the rain as quickly as possible. Despite their best effort however, both of them were soaked through by the time they finally stepped through the front door.

When Yuuri looked down, a small puddle was falling on the floor around him, dripping steadily from his soaking clothes. Viktor was in a similar state, hair plastered to his hair and looking vaguely disgruntled. Makkachin and Vicchan both shook themselves vigorously, flicking the water from their fur and Viktor looked very tempted to join them.

“Come, we should sit by the fire to warm ourselves,” Yuuri pointed out, pushing his wet hair out of his face and leading Viktor into the next room where a fire was crackling merrily. “We’ll both catch our deaths of cold if we stay wet like this.”

Viktor made a soft noise of agreement, closing the door behind them and stripping out of his now waterlogged jacket. While he did so, Yuuri bent over the fireplace, tossing in a few more logs. The cracking warmth was comforting after the unexpected cold shower and he allowed himself a few more seconds to linger by the warmth.

When he turned back around, Viktor had just finished pulling off his damp shirt, casting the item aside.

Yuuri’s mouth went dry at the sight.

Viktor had never been particularly conventional about proper attire in their own home, citing the fact that they were married as a good enough reason not to bother with covering every inch of his skin. But Yuuri had never seen so much of him exposed before.

Viktor’s body was carved like one of the ancient Greek statues that Yuuri had gazed upon in his youth. Smooth and muscular and enough to render Yuuri speechless at the sight. A few drops of water trickled from his hair to run down the bare planes of his chest and Yuuri followed the droplets with his eyes, gaze transfixed.

Viktor seemed unaware of his plight, laying both his jacket and shirt near the fire to dry and leaving his upper torso entirely uncovered.

Without even thinking about it, Yuuri reached out. He caught one of the droplets of water on Viktor’s chest on his fingers, brushing away the wetness and caressing the skin underneath. Viktor jolted under his touch, looking up at Yuuri in surprise.

“I…” Yuuri tried to think of a good explanation to justify his impulsive action but found none. He swallowed.

“Forgive me Viktor, I didn’t mean to take liberties. I was merely…”

The words sounded weak even to his own ears, but Viktor didn’t seem to mind. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Yuuri and there was an intensity in his gaze that Yuuri had never seen before.  

“You know that you may take any liberties that you want with me, Yuuri,” Viktor said softly. “And there is no need to ask for forgiveness. I have always been entirely at your disposal.”

As he spoke, he leaned in closer, until his breath was ghosting over Yuuri’s skin. Yuuri leaned in too, drawn by an invisible force that it was futile to resist.

Yuuri wasn’t sure which one of them moved first. All he knew was that one minute they were kneeling together, a hairsbreadth away. Then the next, Viktor’s lips were on his and his mind was exploding into a kaleidoscope of emotion, stealing his breath away.

It was only a chaste kiss but to Yuuri, it felt like so much more. When he pulled away again, Viktor’s eyes were still fixed on his and his pupils were blow wide. Yuuri’s heart was hammering in his chest, like a bird in a cage fighting to break free.

“I should go,” he murmured and Viktor’s face instantly fell. Yuuri hastened to continue.

“I must change out of my clothes before I soak the carpet,” he pointed out. it was a valid enough excuse, although not the true reason that he required a hasty departure. 

The kiss had awoken a fire in him that was still burning, even with Viktor’s lips no longer on his own. Part of Yuuri was tempted to remove his shirt right there, just like Viktor had. To see the way Viktor reacted to his own unclothed body. To have Viktor touch him in return and see just how far Viktor’s offer went.

But he couldn’t. Not yet anyway. There was still an uncertainty curling at the pit of his gut that pulled him away and he had to leave now least he lose all sense completely.

“Will you return?” Viktor asked, looking worried, and Yuuri nodded with a reassuring smile.

Viktor breathed a sigh of relief. 

“I must admit Yuuri, I have been hoping that you would take that particular liberty for some time,” he admitted. There was a light red flush to his cheeks, colouring his cheekbones, and a pleased expression on his face. 

“I…would not be opposed to trying it again sometime,” Yuuri replied. He reached out, brushing one hand lightly over Viktor’s fingers. A reassuring touch, just enough to let Viktor know exactly how much it had pleased him without breaking the rules of propriety that had been ingrained in him since birth.

Then he stood up quickly and hurried away, trying to hide the smile that broke out across his face. Reaching up, he ran one finger along his lips, still tingling from Viktor’s touch.

Yes, he would definitely not be opposed to more kissing in the future.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Arranged Marriage AU Part 8**

_Prompt - first night together and Yuuri discovering that their marriage was partly a result of his drunken charms._

_(set directly after the very first arranged marriage AU ficlet)_

 

“I love you,” Viktor murmured, fingers tracing idle patterns across Yuuri’s bare skin.

Yuuri was curled up by his side in the bed, feeling pleasantly exhausted and spent. Any fear that he had once felt about asking Viktor to share the night with him was now well and truly banished. Neither of them had had much skill, but every one of Viktor’s touches had sent a fire racing across his skin. Every kiss had stolen his breath and every endearment that Viktor had whispered softly in his ear as they moved together had made Yuuri’s heart soar.

Now they were lying tangled together in the afterglow and Yuuri had never been more happy.

“I love you too,” he replied, without a moment of hesitation. Neither of them had said the words out loud before, but neither of them had had to. As they had grown closer, every touch and kiss and lingering glance had screamed their feelings without a single word being spoken. Finally saying it out loud was far more a confirmation than a confession.

“I think I have loved you from the day I first laid eyes on you,” Viktor continued, a lazy smile on his face as he continued to caress Yuuri’s skin. “And my love has grown every day until now I can barely look at you without my heart near bursting from happiness.”

“Since the day you first saw me?” Yuuri asked, glancing up at Viktor in curiosity. “I didn’t realise I had made such a lasting first impression.”

He loved Viktor with all his heart, but that love had bloomed slowly. Before their parents had arranged their marriage, he had done nothing but admire Viktor from afar. During their first meeting to discuss the terms of the marriage, they had been nothing but strangers. Yuuri’s mother had noted that Viktor seemed taken with him it was true. But Yuuri was sure most of that could be attributed to Viktor’s appreciation of a handsome face, since their conversation had been limited to nothing but introductions before their parents had taken over. There had been no time to get to know each other, much less fall in love.

“How could you not have?” Viktor replied, eyes far off and dreamy. “It was the most perfect night of my life. When you danced with me, it felt like the whole world melted away until there was no-one but each other.”

“When we danced?”

Yuuri sat up sharply, confused. Viktor turned back to look at him, the same confusion reflected in his own eyes.

“At the Giacometti’s ball,” he clarified, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I had seen you before of course, but that was the first time we were ever formally introduced. Well, formally may not be the most appropriate word as you all but stumbled into my arms and demanded that we dance, but it was a memorable introduction all the same.”

“I did  _what_?” Yuuri asked, scandalised. “I have no memory of doing that at the Giacometti ball! I was in no mood for conversation with another nosy parent inquiring about my eligibility for marriage so I did nothing but stay to the corners of the room and enjoy the Giacometti’s excellent taste in wine.”

“You did a little more than that,” Viktor said, sounding just as scandalised as Yuuri. “We danced together all night long Yuuri. I waited for you to call on me in the days that followed but you never did. I had just about lost hope when my parents told me that they and your own parents had discussed a match between us.”

“I don’t remember any of that,” Yuuri exclaimed, feeling as if his whole world had suddenly been turned upside down around him. “The first I knew was my parents informing me that your parents had offered you as a potential match.”

Viktor’s cheeks coloured a little at that and he looked slightly embarrassed.

“My parents were aware of my fondness for you,” he admitted, sounding almost shy. “When it became clear your parents required you to marry, they thought there was no harm in offering my name as an option. We were well suited to each other as a match, regardless of my feelings for you.”

Yuuri could hardly deny the truth of the words. He had desperately needed money for his struggling family, with a quick marriage been the only way to achieve it. Viktor needed a good name that would allow him to access the parts of society that his fortune did not. It had been no contest when selecting Viktor as the best match, their needs suiting each other perfectly. Yuuri’s parents had also assured him that Viktor was a good man and Yuuri had observed the same for himself. As a marriage of convenience, Yuuri had known that it was the best option he could hope to have.

But now it was clear that there had been far more than just convenience involved.

“I’m sorry Yuuri, I thought you remembered” Viktor hurried to say, looking worried. “I never meant to deceive you in my intentions.”

“There’s no need to worry,” Yuuri reassured him, voice coming out a lot calmer than he was feeling inside. “In truth I am…pleased.”

He had always assumed that Viktor’s parents had chosen him to marry their son because of his good name. But even then, he had been mystified as to why Viktor Nikiforov would agree to take him as his husband, when he could have seduced anyone he chose with a mere smile.

But the knowledge that he had been the one to ensnare Viktor first sent a selfish feeling of pleasure curling in Yuuri’s gut. The revelation that Viktor had chosen him for Yuuri’s own sake, not the position he held in society or the renown of his family name. That Viktor had fallen in love with him long before Yuuri had ever realised it.

“That night was the best of my life,” Viktor admitted. Then he glanced at where their bodies still tangled together and grinned. “Well, perhaps now the second best. But you stole my heart that night Yuuri, and I have no desire for you to ever give it back.”

“I may not remember it,” Yuuri told him, reaching up to stroke a finger lightly down Viktor’s cheek. Viktor closed his eyes, leaning in to the touch. “But I am very pleased that it occurred. Whatever events lead to us being brought together, I can be nothing but grateful.”

“I am grateful for it every day of my life,” Viktor replied. “There is no-one I would rather have than you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come follow me on [tumblr](http://kazliin.tumblr.com/) for more of my writing and YOI prompts <3


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